Change Lives

How can a shop be selling things and changing lives at the same time?

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We believe in a “triple bottom line.” That means we aim not only for financial sustainability, the better to grow our core operations and reward our people, but also our mission of changing lives in the areas of the 3 “E”s:

 

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Employment

  • As at mid-2025, employs 26 people in addition to a number of indirect employments, including for the shop’s supply of locally-made goods like our shopping baskets
  • About 36% of employees are have had previous barriers to employment, including physical and intellectual disabilities, educational barriers or other challenges in which they are actively coached by partnering organisations
  • Practices regular 1-on-1s as an employee wellness programme to further empower and advise employees; 
  • Encourages “ownership mindset” through a monthly bonus programme wherein employees can be rewarded with performance bonuses based on team-based targets
  • Welcomes employees of other forward-thinking companies to give their time as part of a “social leave” or pro-bono programme

 

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Environment

  • Saves tons of goods from going directly to Mare Chicose landfill, which is already at its breaking point
  • Encourages a reduction in the purchase of new goods
  • Maintains relationships with and promotes recyclers and in so doing, encourages mindset of recycling fees from the consumer to responsibly recycle e-waste 
  • Tested several upcycled and repair products, with prototypes in garments, furniture, house decor and other items
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Education

  • Provides in-house training to employees and seeks to continually upskill them for promotion or for onward employment opportunities
  • Runs several awareness campaigns regarding waste, consumerism and benefits of reduce and reuse
  • From its surplus, donates towards the scholarship fund of Lighthouse Primary and Secondary School, enabling children from financially needy families to access an excellent education
NGO solidarity partnerships for distribution

The Good Shop has built a distribution network for its quality donations which do not sell in its sales cycle.  In this way, we do not deprive organisations nor their beneficiaries from receiving what they need; we actually assist them in getting more appropriate and pre-sorted donations of what they want to use or can on-sell to benefit their operations.

  • Provides donations to over 20 NGO partners
  • Provides second-hand books to the prison system for its libraries, in addition to public libraries and pre-primary schools
Operating surplus distribution

Since its inception, The Good Shop has been committed to planning for when it has an operating surplus, which in a for-profit organisation might be known as profits.  The Good Shop is non-profit, and thus, 100% of the surplus of The Good Shop goes to the following:

  • Performance bonuses for its employees when they meet standards and exceed targets
  • Investment capital in projects that further the mission, such as job training initiatives and upcycled products
  • Start-up capital for new locations or renovations to current locations
  • Scholarship fund for financially needy students

The Good Shop impact report.