Mary Ellen Schaafsma, Founder, Purpose Pathways
As global trade trembles under U.S. tariffs and geopolitical shifts, Canadian businesses face both challenge and opportunity. In Europe—especially the UK and Scotland—legislation is on the rise that embeds social purpose into corporate DNA. Meanwhile, back home, Prime Minister Mark Carney is reshaping Canada from the inside out, prioritizing unity, infrastructure, and shared values. Together, these twin currents—purpose abroad and cohesion at home—set the stage for an inspiring new era in Canadian commerce.
In the UK and Scotland, momentum toward formalizing corporate social purpose is accelerating. Scotland’s Business Purpose Commission has urged embedding social and environmental goals directly into company charters. A complementary campaign in the UK, the Better Business Act, is pushing to amend the Companies Act—requiring directors to weigh purpose as heavily as profit. Across Europe, discussions around legal forms for social enterprises continue to gain traction.
A transformative standard is brewing in parallel: PAS 808, the UK’s guidance for Purpose-Driven Organizations, is evolving into a global ISO standard expected by 2027. It offers a structured, values-based framework for aligning business strategy with societal betterment—precisely the kind of external stamp of integrity European markets are increasingly demanding.
Here at home, in British Columbia, the landscape for social-purpose business is already evolving. Since June 30, 2020, BC has offered Benefit Company status—a first in Canada—now with over 800 registered Benefit Companies that embed social goals in their legal mandate. Additionally, the earlier introduction of Community Contribution Companies (CCCs) provides a hybrid legal option for profit-making firms that commit to community benefit.
Canadian exporters can ride this wave, enhancing their competitive edge abroad by demonstrating certified purpose. But that external strategy is matched by an equally vital internal one. PM Mark Carney’s approach reflects themes from his widely praised book Value(s): Building a Better World for All, where he advocates for “solidarity, fairness, responsibility, compassion” and insists “markets on their own will never be adequately incentivized to build social capital”.
Canada is uniquely placed to lean into this—its global reputation, diplomatic bridges, and flexible regulatory regime let its companies define purpose on their own terms, while embracing frameworks like PAS 808 and the upcoming ISO. Travel across the Atlantic and a Canadian brand that tells a story of verified social value, governed purpose, and environmental stewardship is suddenly more trusted than those perceived as simply profit-first.
This is not just icing on the cake—it is becoming the cake. And for Canadian exporters searching for fresh growth in Europe, the era of purpose-driven trade is arriving. It isn’t just what you sell—it’s why you sell it, how you structure your company, and whether regulators, buyers and partners can see evidence of that deeper alignment. In an uncertain world, purpose isn’t soft power—it’s strategic power.