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Doughnut Design for Business Case Studies
A series of case studies that explore real-world businesses through the perspective of Doughnut Design for Business.
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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.
You can watch DEAL's the 90 minute webinar describing the case studies here.
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.
United Repair Centre: United Repair Centre provides circular economy services to the clothing industry.
Taller Maya: Collective of artisan social enterprises in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico.
Alternative Bank Switzerland: Swiss financial institution founded to promote positive social & ecological impact rather than maximisation
Haferkater: German restaurant chain that serves healthy vegan porridge to go.
Manos del Uruguay: Network of 12 rural, female-led worker cooperatives that produces, exports & retails $5m of luxury clothing.
Kauaʻi Federal Credit Union: Democratically owned & governed credit union with $137m in deposits & 7,800 members.
Turqle Trading: A South African Fair Trade Enterprise connecting producers & customers through high-quality products, transparency & trust
CrowdBuilding: A steward-owned business dedicated to making community-led housing the norm.
AMUL: As the Gujarat Milk Marketing Federation - an Indian multinational cooperative with 3.6m farmer-members.
Citizenfund: A participatory citizen investment fund that uses collective intelligence to support impact projects.
Stapelstein®: A German company that makes environmentally friendly play and movement products.
Kazi Yetu: A Tanzanian social enterprise producing & marketing high value, organically certified tea.

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.
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Stapelstein: Doughnut Design Case Study
Stapelstein® is a German company that makes environmentally friendly play and movement products.
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Kazi Yetu: Doughnut Design Case Study
Kazi Yetu (“our work” in Swahili) is a social enterprise producing & marketing high value, organically certified tea.
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Citizenfund: Doughnut Design Case Study
The Citizenfund is a participatory citizen investment fund that uses collective intelligence to support impact projects.
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Amul: Doughnut Design Case Study
AMUL is an acronym for Gujarat Milk Marketing Federation - an Indian multinational cooperative with 3.6m farmer-members.
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Story
Crowdbuilding: Doughnut Design Case Study
CrowdBuilding is a steward-owned business dedicated to making community-led housing the norm.
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Story
Turqle Trading: Doughnut Design Case Study
Turqle is a Fair Trade Enterprise connecting producers & customers through high-quality products, transparency & trust.
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Story
Kauaʻi Federal Credit Union: Doughnut Design Case
Kauaʻi Federal Credit Union is a democratically owned & governed credit union with $190m in deposits & 7,800 members.
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Story
Manos del Uruguay: Doughnut Design Case Study
Manos is a network of 12 rural, female-led worker cooperatives that produces, exports & retails $5m of luxury clothing.
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Member
Dudley Boden
Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, United States
I am a former CEO of a private company manufacturing capital goods for the steel industry. While I have lived and benefitted from the growth mindset, since retiring I have been searching for a movement that can start to change the way our society works. My focus had been on politics but every where I looked at political movements I saw such firmly entrenched opposition to change that I could not see a way to start change that could be successful. After reading "Donought Economics" my eyes were opened to the possibility of focusing on economic change with the many small ways that grass roots efforts could make change develop from the bottom up. I still believe that political change is necessary but with an economic movement developing momentum political change may become inevitable.
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Member
Jacques van Wyk
South Africa
I am a transformational futurist and the CEO of the Southern African Institute for Strategic Futures and Foresight. I currently focus on the economic future of African and BRICS-aligned countries. My focus lies in the fact that Africa, BRICS and the broader Global South will experience substantial growth in the near-to-mid- term future. My concern lies in the fact that the globe (as far as resources and the environment is concerned) will be put under even more severe stress, given the added strain that the resource requirement of this new growth will place on the commons.
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Member
Dilyana Mihaylova
Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom
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Member
Marte Grevsgard
Oslo, Norway
I’m an independent fasilitator and process leader within Designdriven Innovation. I’m a trained service designer and leader and for the last 12 years I have been a part of building the design- and innovation agency, EGGS Design. I’m passionate about inner and outer sustainability and to be a part of a movement to make a positive change.
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Member
Jan Walter Parr
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Member
Tony Elkington
London
I head up Studio Elk, a design agency that helps product brands go beyond superficial sustainability.
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Jennifer Lowe
Gilching, Kreis Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany
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Member
Lilian Marino
London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom
Bow - East London