EUSL FOUNDATION
Social Impact – Charity as a Business in Practise
How we solve our times largest challenge in society
Part of World Social Label Charity
Care to Change the World
Purpose and Scope
EUSL Foundation’s social impact activity constitutes a structured, transparent, and measurable system for community investment. It is premised on Charity as a Business, whereby purpose‑driven enterprises generate surplus that is irrevocably ring‑fenced for social initiatives and allocated through democratic decisions at the Market Area level. The objective is to complement and, where necessary, rival tax‑based welfare by providing continuity, local precision, and market‑aligned delivery. The Foundation’s approach does not replace public services; it reinforces them with an independent, member‑mandated instrument capable of sustaining impact beyond budget cycles.
Operating Principles
The Foundation’s method rests on four principles. First, subsidiarity and local governance: only members within a defined Market Area may vote on initiatives proposed for that area, ensuring decisions are taken by those closest to the needs. Second, fiduciary integrity: all allocations and contracts are executed under the Foundation Deed, board oversight, and audit. Third, market discipline: initiatives are implemented by viable local enterprises through fair and transparent procurement, avoiding distortionary subsidies and preserving competition. Fourth, traceability and accountability: every project is logged, monitored, and reported against clear objectives and outcomes, with public disclosures appropriate to privacy and legal obligations.
Model and Process
Surplus arising from EUSL EU and other WOSL Group membership‑based operations is transferred to the Foundation and segregated. Proposals may be submitted by members and non‑members alike, including individuals, civil society, and public bodies. The Foundation screens proposals for legal compliance, feasibility, safeguarding, and expected results. Eligible proposals advance to a Market Area Ballot in which only verified members of that Market Area may vote. Approval triggers contracting with qualified local providers and a time‑bound implementation plan with milestones, risk controls, and measurable indicators. The Foundation publishes status updates, completion reports, and independent audit outcomes in accordance with its transparency policy.
Safeguards and Compliance
All processing of personal data, including member verification for ballots and stakeholder engagement, is performed in compliance with applicable data protection law. Accessibility standards guide content and user interfaces. Anti‑corruption, conflicts of interest, and procurement integrity are governed by the Foundation’s policies, which require competitive selection, value for money, proportionality, and documented justification for any exceptions. Financial flows are subject to internal controls and external audit, with summaries published in the Foundation’s annual reporting and grants register.
Outcomes and Measurement
The Foundation applies a unified monitoring, evaluation, and learning approach that defines inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and longer‑term effects at proposal stage. Baselines and targets are specified for each initiative; data collection is proportionate to risk and scale; verification methods are recorded; and lessons learned are fed back into future ballots and designs. Headline indicators commonly include households assisted, youth engaged, educational access improved, meals delivered, local enterprises contracted, and unit costs per outcome. Public dashboards present aggregated results and narrative case studies for context, while underlying personal data remains protected.
Illustrative Examples of Social Impact
Local food security has been advanced by contracting neighborhood restaurants to prepare and distribute daily meals to elders and low‑income households. This model consolidates member‑funded surplus under the Foundation, procures services competitively from existing businesses, and publishes unit costs, volumes, and safeguards. The result is an increase in reliable meal coverage and a concurrent stabilization of local hospitality jobs without dependency on state subsidy.
Educational access has been strengthened by funding essential school needs through local suppliers and transport firms. Members in a Market Area approved targeted support for children at risk of absenteeism, combining provision of materials with transport stipends and mentorship sessions. Monitoring showed improved attendance and progression, while funds remained within the local economy through SME delivery.
Community cohesion has been reinforced by modest capital upgrades and participation grants for youth sports clubs. Projects have financed equipment, safety measures, and facility improvements through local vendors, with clubs reporting increased participation and volunteer engagement. Reporting includes usage hours, participation by age cohort, and club‑level safeguarding adherence.
Emergency stabilization has been enabled through rapid‑response allocations to prevent acute hardship. In specific cases, the Foundation has contracted local accommodation and counseling providers to avert homelessness and stabilize family conditions pending longer‑term solutions. Time‑limited, outcome‑indexed contracts ensure proportionality and clear exit conditions.
Featured Case Study: Youth Engagement with a Municipal Partner
In one Market Area, the Foundation co‑funded, alongside the municipality, a structured youth engagement program for ages 13 to 20, providing after‑school activities, mentorship, and safe spaces. A joint study conducted during the program period indicated a measurable reduction in minor offenses, including vandalism directed at emergency services vehicles. Following the municipality’s withdrawal of funding at the end of its budget cycle, reported incidents rose toward prior levels. The Foundation continued the program independently, with reduced frequency calibrated to available surplus and member mandate. This case evidences the model’s dual function: it can operate as a resilient complement to public welfare when budgets contract, and it can sustain targeted interventions for as long as members wish, thereby stabilizing community outcomes beyond political and fiscal cycles.
Economic Integrity and Non‑Distortion
The Foundation’s projects are designed to strengthen, not distort, local markets. Delivery is executed by established SMEs under transparent procurement and time‑bound performance terms. The Foundation does not provide open‑ended subsidies to non‑viable entities and avoids displacing private investment. Where appropriate, the Foundation co‑funds with public or philanthropic partners to optimize scale, yet preserves independent decision‑rights through Market Area ballots and maintains the ability to continue or wind down interventions in line with member preferences and outcome evidence.
Geographic Structure and Scalability
Sweden constitutes the first implementation, with twenty‑one Market Areas aligned to county boundaries to maximize local relevance and ease of participation. As European Social Label extends across Europe, the same Market Area logic is applied in each country, adapted to its administrative structure while preserving member franchise and fiduciary control. The model is mirrored by AFSL within the African Social Label Foundation framework, using country‑level foundations and sub‑national Market Areas to ensure local democratic control, transparency, and the same standards of safeguarding and procurement.
Roles and Responsibilities
Members provide the democratic mandate through ballots and are the ultimate arbiters of local priorities. SMEs and civil society organizations deliver approved initiatives pursuant to contract, performance obligations, and safeguarding standards. Public authorities may propose co‑funded interventions and receive transparent reporting where they are a party. The Foundation’s board exercises fiduciary oversight, approves allocations following valid ballots, enforces compliance, and may intervene only where there is a documented legal, fiduciary, or safety impediment, with reasons published.
Participation and Proposal Pathway
Any person or organization may submit a proposal through the Foundation’s portal. Submissions should identify the Market Area, define the problem, specify beneficiaries, outline delivery arrangements and safeguards, and propose measurable outcomes. The Foundation conducts eligibility and due‑diligence screening. Eligible proposals are advanced to the relevant Market Area Ballot. Approved projects proceed to contracting and publication on the project register, with periodic status reports and a completion statement at close.
Purpose and Scope
Identity verification for ballot participation and stakeholder engagement is conducted through secure processes proportionate to risk and in compliance with applicable data protection obligations. Public disclosures are balanced with privacy: the Foundation publishes aggregated results, project summaries, budgets, and audits while limiting personal data to what is lawful, necessary, and consented. The Foundation maintains accessible digital services and continuously improves usability consistent with recognized accessibility standards.
Operating Principles
Communities prosper when those closest to the challenges shape the solutions. If you are a member, participate in your next Market Area Ballot and help direct funds where they will matter most. If you are an enterprise or organization with a viable idea, submit a proposal for consideration. If you are not yet a member, join the ecosystem and help sustain a model in which economic success and social equity are mutually reinforcing. Through Charity as a Business, EUSL Foundation converts purpose‑driven surplus into durable, local impact—transparent, democratic, and resilient.
Participation and Proposal Pathway
Any person or organization may submit a proposal through the Foundation’s portal. Submissions should identify the Market Area, define the problem, specify beneficiaries, outline delivery arrangements and safeguards, and propose measurable outcomes. The Foundation conducts eligibility and due‑diligence screening. Eligible proposals are advanced to the relevant Market Area Ballot. Approved projects proceed to contracting and publication on the project register, with periodic status reports and a completion statement at close.
Food Security Through Local Restaurants
In several Market Areas, members have proposed and approved initiatives to combat food insecurity among vulnerable groups. Instead of relying on state subsidies, EUSL Foundation consolidates surplus funds and channels them to local restaurants. These businesses prepare and distribute daily meals to elders and families in need, creating a win-win: communities receive essential support, and restaurants gain steady revenue and visibility.
School Access for Children
Members in one Market Area voted to fund transportation and school supplies for children who were at risk of dropping out due to financial hardship. The project was implemented by local SMEs—transport companies and stationery suppliers—ensuring that funds stayed within the community while addressing a critical social gap.
Support for Community Sports Clubs
Grassroots sports clubs often struggle to survive. Through Market Area ballots, members have approved funding for equipment and facility upgrades for local football and hockey clubs. These projects not only promote health and inclusion but also strengthen social cohesion.
Emergency Assistance for Families
When sudden crises occur—such as job loss or housing instability—members can propose rapid-response initiatives. In one case, a Market Area allocated funds to provide temporary housing and counseling services through local providers, preventing homelessness and supporting mental well-being.
