People don't want to be marketed at. They want meaning.
Employees, partners, consumers and communities are demanding unprecedented levels of transparency and leadership. People want to know how products are made, how businesses make a positive difference in the world and are minimizing their negative impacts.
There are many ways organizations can answer this call by aligning business and societal interests. We call it purpose: an organization’s reason for being beyond profits, grounded in humanity.
Done well, purpose has tremendous promise to accelerate organizational strategy and performance.But it must be authentic. After more than 35 years in the field, we have seen that enduring purpose is built from the inside out for authentic activation of values and credible employee engagement.
Our philosophy is that purpose is powerful. That’s why our purpose is to advance yours.
Our approach
Our work connects head with heart. Here's how.
Head
Each project must be clear, rational, and easy to understand, while reflecting the complexities of your business. It must align with your business priorities and culture while positioning you to succeed in a changing world.
Heart
How do we bring your approach and commitments to life in a way that connects, engages and inspires all stakeholders? It’s about organizing the various strands of your work and the many stories you have to tell so they are part of a cohesive overarching story that matters.
FAQs about CCOP
What is Carol Cone ON PURPOSE?
Carol Cone ON PURPOSE (CCOP) is a global purpose consulting firm that helps organizations uncover and activate their reason for being beyond profits. Founded on more than four decades of experience in corporate social responsibility and cause marketing, CCOP partners with companies and nonprofits to develop authentic, enduring purpose strategies that drive business performance and social impact.
Who is Carol Cone?
Carol Cone is widely recognized as a pioneer of purpose-driven business and cause marketing. She founded Cone Inc. in 1980, creating some of the first corporate-cause partnerships in the U.S. with organizations including Avon, Reebok, and the American Heart Association. She has been called the "Mother of Social Purpose" and "arguably the most powerful and visible figure in cause branding" by PRWeek. In 2023, she received PRWeek's Lifetime Achievement Award for Purpose. Over her career, she has executed more than 250 purpose programs and conducted more than 30 original research studies on the role of purpose in business.
What services does Carol Cone ON PURPOSE offer?
CCOP offers services spanning purpose discovery, strategy and programming, partnership development, thought and issue leadership, employee engagement, and nonprofit strategy. Each service is tailored to help organizations build purpose from the inside out—aligning leadership, employees, and stakeholders around a shared reason for being.
What is "purpose" in a business context?
Organizational purpose is a company or nonprofit's reason for being beyond generating revenue or profit, grounded in humanity. Purpose reflects how the organization creates value for people and society. Purpose is not a marketing campaign. According to CCOP, enduring purpose is built from the inside out, embedded in company culture, values, and decision-making, and activated consistently across all stakeholder relationships.
How is CCOP's approach different from other consultancies?
CCOP brings more than 40 years of direct, hands-on experience building the practice of purpose. Unlike strategy-only consultancies, CCOP works alongside clients through discovery, strategy, and execution. Their "head and heart" methodology ensures purpose programs are both rationally sound—aligned to business priorities—and emotionally resonant, connecting with employees, partners, and communities in meaningful ways. CCOP's initiatives are built to last; many have endured for decades.
Does CCOP work with nonprofits?
Yes. CCOP has dedicated nonprofit strategy services, helping mission-driven organizations develop corporate partnerships, signature platforms, and stakeholder engagement strategies. Carol Cone also co-authored Breakthrough Nonprofit Branding, a guide to building powerful nonprofit identity and partnerships.
What types of organizations does CCOP work with?
CCOP has worked with a wide range of corporations and nonprofits, including Aflac, Campbell's, GAF, Kerry Group, L'Oréal, LG, Microsoft, P&G, PNC, Quest Diagnostics, Unilever, Whirlpool, and Xylem, as well as nonprofit organizations seeking stronger corporate partnerships and brand positioning.
What is the Purpose Collaborative?
The Purpose Collaborative is a network of specialized agencies and experts convened by CCOP to deliver integrated purpose strategies.
How do I start working with Carol Cone ON PURPOSE?
Organizations interested in purpose consulting, the EPiQ assessment, or partnership strategy can contact CCOP directly at 617-840-4789 or through the contact page at carolconeonpurpose.com. CCOP is based at 33 Irving Place, New York, NY 10005.