Doughnut Design for Business Case Studies

👉🏽 Join the official online launch of these case studies (plus some additional ones) on 5 March 2025 (details here).

Overview

This tool presents a series of case studies that explore real-world businesses through the perspective of Doughnut Design for Business. Each case study focuses on the way regenerative and distributive approaches were enabled by innovations in the deep design of the business.

About the case studies

These case studies highlight aspects of real-world businesses that can be helpful in understanding the concept of regenerative and distributive enterprise design. They aim to showcase inspiring examples already embedded within existing businesses. Rather than certify or endorse any specific business - which Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL) does not do - or provide a comprehensive evaluation of the entirety of these businesses, the case studies can be seen as a set of possibilities. We hope these case studies can inspire change-makers seeking to better understand and transform the deep design of businesses.

Collectively, the case studies present a diverse range of business types from different  industries and contexts. DEAL has deliberately curated a broad set of case studies that are drawn from across the business world - from smaller and more place-based businesses to much larger global companies. They include examples of enterprise design in local cooperatives and social enterprises all the way to subsidiaries of much larger and global corporations. The common theme across all examples is a compelling approach being pursued that is enabled by unique features in the deep design of the business.

Why use it?

These case studies will help anyone using Doughnut Economics to engage with businesses. They provide real-world examples of how businesses can deploy regenerative and distributive approaches, which can be embodied in their strategies, practices and broader actions. Crucially, the case studies provide insights on the way the deep design of these enterprises has enabled them to pursue these approaches.

These case studies are particularly useful for people facilitating workshops with businesses using DEAL’s Doughnut Design for Business tools (e.g. the Core tool, or shorter Taster tool). They come with canvases that the facilitators can use in the workshops - as examples of the completed activities. 

More broadly, the case studies also provide important insights on understanding the core background paper on these concepts titled: What Doughnut Economics Means for Business

Who is it for?

These case studies are for anyone hoping to understand or use Doughnut Economics in the context of business and investment. This includes:

• Facilitators of Doughnut Design for Business workshops (incl consultants, coaches, business networks, start-up incubators)
• Business founders, leaders and investors
• Lecturers, tutors and anyone involved in delivering business education

Links to the Case Studies

SELCO India: Creates energy access for under-served populations through tailored solutions.

Sharetribe: A marketplace software for entrepreneurs. Its business model focuses on democratising platform ownership.

Patagonia: A global outdoor clothing brand with revenues of $1.5b. In 2022, "Earth became its only shareholder".

Library of Things: A circular platform that enables communities, local governments and business to start and grow item sharing libraries.

SWaCH: SWaCH is a social enterprise of waste pickers, based in Pune, India.

Home.Earth: A European real estate company that aims to embed inclusivity, liveability and sustainability in urban development.

Inka Moss S.A.C.: Based in Junín, Peru, Inka Moss harvests, processes, packages and exports sphagnum moss (white moss).

Scott Bader: An employee owned chemicals manufacturer, with 800 employees across 8 manufacturing sites & 19 offices.

Cardamom: An off-grid eco-tourism venture in Cambodia founded as an NGO-corporation-investor partnership.

Vancity: A Canadian credit union. Founded in 1946, it serves 570,000 members.

AMA Water: A mineral water brand under Ambev, which is a Belgian-Brazilian multinational drink and brewing company.

Dewesoft: A Slovenian company that designs advanced hardware and software for testing and measurement equipment.

Guayaki Yerba Mate: An organic beverage company based in Sebastopol, California that produces & markets yerba mate-based products.

Maison Dandoy: Founded in 1829, Maison Dandoy bakes and retails fresh biscuits in Belgium.

DEAL will be publishing additional case studies of businesses using the same format as these listed above. All business related case studies that relate to Doughnut Economics will continue to focus on the role of enterprise design in unlocking ambitious strategies and actions. Please get in touch with DEAL if you would like to propose publishing a business case study.

Acknowledgements

The case studies were authored by individual experts who possess an understanding of the unique context in each case study. They worked closely with the businesses to write and finalise the case studies. Each of the businesses covered provided the core information, inputted on the draft of their case study and reviewed the final version. The case studies were written together with Erinch Sahan, DEAL’s Business & Enterprise Lead. The case studies were copy-edited by Renee Cullinan. The images and videos were provided by the companies.

DEAL would like to thank each of the authors, the copy-editor and the companies for their collaboration.