People and Planet First
People and Planet First verifies social enterprises: businesses that exist to solve a social or environmental problem and are structured to keep that purpose first. It looks at the whole business rather than individual products. Every brand on this page holds the verification, which we confirm before listing.
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Here's what People and Planet First verification actually means
People and Planet First asks a different question from most labels: not how a single product was made, but what a business is for. To be verified, an enterprise has to show that it exists to solve a social or environmental problem and that its decisions put that purpose, its people and the planet ahead of profit.
The checks are practical. An enterprise must have a self-sustaining revenue model, reinvest most of any surplus in its purpose, and use legal and financial structures that protect that purpose over time. Applicants explain how they meet each standard, upload evidence such as governing and financial documents, and renew the verification every year.
It isn't a fair trade certification and doesn't audit working conditions on its own. Brands here that hold it are also vetted against fair trade standards before they're listed, with the verification as evidence of how the business is built.
The five People and Planet First standards
| Standard | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Exists to solve a social or environmental problem |
| Operations | Puts purpose, people and planet ahead of profit in its decisions |
| Revenue | Runs on a self-sustaining revenue model |
| Use of surplus | Reinvests most of any surplus in its purpose |
| Structure | Uses legal and financial structures that protect its purpose over time |
Why this all matters
A business's structure shapes what it does under pressure. An enterprise built to serve its makers or its community has that commitment written into how it runs, not just into its marketing.
That's useful evidence for shoppers, because it shows the fair practices you see today are part of the business model rather than a campaign that could change next season.
Buying from these enterprises keeps purpose-led businesses viable, and their growth shows that putting people first can be a working business model.
With and without People and Planet First: a quick comparison
| Without verification | With People and Planet First verification |
|---|---|
| Social mission can be just marketing | Purpose checked against evidence |
| Profits can go anywhere | Most surplus reinvested in the purpose |
| Mission can change with ownership | Legal structure protects the purpose |
| Claims checked once, if ever | Verification renewed every year |
Shop verified People and Planet First brands
- Live on TLM
Intertwined: Handmade for Good
Handwoven pillows, textiles, bags and home goods made with artisan partners in Guatemala, Morocco, Nepal, Uganda and India.
Shop Intertwined: Handmade for Good → - Live on TLM
Shakti.ism
Bags, pouches, cushion covers and notebooks made by women in India, Bangladesh and Nepal, often from upcycled saris.
Shop Shakti.ism →
About People and Planet First verification
Is People and Planet First a fair trade certification?
No. It verifies that a business is a genuine social enterprise: built to solve a social or environmental problem, with its revenue, surplus and structure set up to protect that purpose. It doesn't audit working conditions or set prices. Brands that hold it on The Labour Movement are also vetted against fair trade standards.
Who runs People and Planet First?
It's a global verification for social enterprises stewarded by the Social Enterprise World Forum. Enterprises apply with evidence for each of five standards and renew their verification every year.
How does The Labour Movement check this verification?
We confirm a brand's current People and Planet First verification status before it's listed and ask for supporting documents where we need them. Every brand is also vetted against our own fair trade standards and reviewed each year, because a certification is a strong signal but not a substitute for ongoing checks.