Established in 1996 as a centre for learning, discovery and retreat, Trigonos is a company limited by guarantee - a not-for-profit social business. We choose this legal structure to break the tie between running a business and the private ownership of assets and profits, an arrangement that focuses a business on the maximisation of profit to the detriment of social, cultural and environmental concerns.Trigonos seeks to give equal weight to all the outcomes of its business activity and, being without owners or shareholders, retains all profits for the development of the business.

Our expressed aims are to combine social and cultural development along with economic activity whilst co-operating with people and communities locally and globally. This is the ethical basis for our work in which sustainability is the natural partner.

Read our Sustainability Policy

TRIGONOS & THE GLOBAL RECESSION - Crises are the Time for Thinking & Acting Differently

“Meltdown” might be the word of the moment.

Until recently climate change was probably seen as the greatest challenge facing the world by people in rich nations like the UK, but many may not now think this to be true. The economic meltdown brings immediate pain or fear to the majority whereas major climate change is a future event that we can hope may not even happen. Unless, that is, you are poor and living in the developing world where the consequence are already acutely felt.

The present economic and climatic disasters are so closely related that they are best regarded as presenting conjoined crises. Our desire for material possessions, food and travel is the stuff of global warming. The resurrection of economies through the re-growth in existing patterns of consumption may relieve some immediate economic problems but only by boosting the conditions for a future climate catastrophe. “Borrow and spend, no matter the long-term cost” is the plea from governments facing political meltdown induced by economic failure.

To avoid meltdown – ecological, social and economic – there has to be substantial change that is accepted as the responsibility of everyone. The 20th century saw the world dominated by companies whose priority is the maximisation of shareholder value, measured solely in financial terms. The 21st century needs businesses that have a different set of values, giving equal weight to social, environmental and economic outcomes. Such businesses have to address their impact upon all who are touched by their activities, be they customers, employees, suppliers or bystanders: Business as if all people mattered.

Trigonos is part of a growing number of social businesses that are values rather than shareholder driven. As a company limited by guarantee we have no shareholders and neither distribute profits nor pay bonuses. What we do have are strong ethical and sustainability policies and practices that are designed to ensure that our business activity is focussed on benefiting many and damaging none.

We all have a part to play in resolving the current crises. One of the biggest engines for change is the power of everyone who buys goods and services. Individually we can choose to deal with businesses that have a well-rooted and long-term commitment to ethical practices. Our single action will bring about very small changes but it will encourage others, who encourage others, until the cumulative affect grows into true significance. In so doing we can all contribute towards a fairer and safer world.

March 2009