Ethical gifts start-up Social Stories Club breaks corporate market

An Edinburgh social enterprise start-up is breaking into the corporate market in the run-up to Christmas as it targets six-figure annual revenues.

University of Edinburgh graduates Aayush Goyal and Karis Gill founded the social enterprise. Picture: Callum Bennetts

Social Stories Club, which claims to be Scotland’s first gifting business “dedicated entirely to doing good”, is moving into the business-to-business sector with its hampers of ethically sourced products.

Each of its products, made by British social ventures, is accompanied by a story detailing the cause or community which will benefit from the purchase.

Its offering includes tea, soap, chocolate, candles and soft drinks which support projects aimed at tackling poverty, global warming, deforestation, human trafficking, gender imbalance and barriers to employment. Originally aimed at the consumer market, Social Stories Club is now entering the corporate sphere after attracting bulk orders from blue-chip clients.

Founded in December by University of Edinburgh graduates Karis Gill and Aayush Goyal, the venture is targeting revenues of £750,000 within five years.

Tackling injustice

Social Stories Club currently works with ten social ventures around the UK that produce the contents for its gift hampers, all of which must help meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Gill said: “The days of corporate giants spending large sums on premium brand Christmas gifts to impress their clients are over. Now it’s all about signalling their commitment to tackling social injustice and climate issues.

“The same goes for staff who are more aware than ever of the amount of waste generated by traditions like secret Santa. Rather than spending on throwaway items that cause environmental harm, they’re looking for ethical alternatives that benefit the planet and its inhabitants.”

“The wood wool which fills our gifts is sourced from sustainable timber forests. The products in our boxes empower artists with disabilities, reduce landfill waste, provide education of young girls, and more.”