<description>&lt;p&gt;How did a small family of Quaker confectioners in York change the way we think about business forever?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;James explores the fascinating history of the &lt;strong&gt;Rowntree family with Nick Smith from the Rowntree Society&lt;/strong&gt;. From Joseph Rowntree’s pioneering "Living Wage" experiments to the complex colonial history of the cocoa trade, we explore how a legacy of faith-led social responsibility evolved into a global blueprint for modern social justice and corporate purpose.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What You’ll Learn:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Quaker Root:&lt;/strong&gt; How the Rowntree family’s faith drove their radical views on worker welfare and poverty.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;More Than Chocolate:&lt;/strong&gt; Joseph Rowntree’s role in creating the foundations for modern philanthropy.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Ethical Conflict:&lt;/strong&gt; Navigating the "bitter" side of the confectionery industry’s colonial past.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;York’s DNA:&lt;/strong&gt; How the Rowntree influence still shapes community development and social policy in the UK today.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;LINKS&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.rowntreesociety.org.uk/"&gt;https://www.rowntreesociety.org.uk/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Facebook&lt;/strong&gt;: &lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/therowntreesociety"&gt;https://www.facebook.com/therowntreesociety&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Instagram&lt;/strong&gt;: &lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/rowntreesociety/"&gt;https://www.instagram.com/rowntreesociety/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;TikTok&lt;/strong&gt;: &lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@rowntreesociety"&gt;https://www.tiktok.com/@rowntreesociety&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;YouTube&lt;/strong&gt;: &lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/@therowntreesociety"&gt;https://www.youtube.com/@therowntreesociety&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.resolutepurpose.co.uk/"&gt;Find out more about The Purpose Brief:   https://www.resolutepurpose.co.uk/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Keywords &amp;amp; Tags:&lt;/strong&gt; #Rowntree #YorkHistory #QuakerValues #SocialJustice #EthicalBusiness #Philanthropy #CorporatePurpose #HistoryShorts #JosephRowntree #SocialResponsibility&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The Purpose Brief

James Johnston

The Rowntrees: York's great philanthropists and what we can all still learn from them

MAR 17, 202652 MIN
The Purpose Brief

The Rowntrees: York's great philanthropists and what we can all still learn from them

MAR 17, 202652 MIN

Description

<p>How did a small family of Quaker confectioners in York change the way we think about business forever?</p><p>James explores the fascinating history of the <strong>Rowntree family with Nick Smith from the Rowntree Society</strong>. From Joseph Rowntree’s pioneering "Living Wage" experiments to the complex colonial history of the cocoa trade, we explore how a legacy of faith-led social responsibility evolved into a global blueprint for modern social justice and corporate purpose.</p><p><strong>What You’ll Learn:</strong></p><ul><li><strong>The Quaker Root:</strong> How the Rowntree family’s faith drove their radical views on worker welfare and poverty.</li><li><strong>More Than Chocolate:</strong> Joseph Rowntree’s role in creating the foundations for modern philanthropy.</li><li><strong>The Ethical Conflict:</strong> Navigating the "bitter" side of the confectionery industry’s colonial past.</li><li><strong>York’s DNA:</strong> How the Rowntree influence still shapes community development and social policy in the UK today.</li></ul><p><strong>LINKS</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.rowntreesociety.org.uk/">https://www.rowntreesociety.org.uk/</a></p><p><strong>Facebook</strong>: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/therowntreesociety">https://www.facebook.com/therowntreesociety</a></p><p><strong>Instagram</strong>: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/rowntreesociety/">https://www.instagram.com/rowntreesociety/</a></p><p><strong>TikTok</strong>: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@rowntreesociety">https://www.tiktok.com/@rowntreesociety</a></p><p><strong>YouTube</strong>: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/@therowntreesociety">https://www.youtube.com/@therowntreesociety</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.resolutepurpose.co.uk/">Find out more about The Purpose Brief: https://www.resolutepurpose.co.uk/</a></p><p><strong>Keywords &amp; Tags:</strong> #Rowntree #YorkHistory #QuakerValues #SocialJustice #EthicalBusiness #Philanthropy #CorporatePurpose #HistoryShorts #JosephRowntree #SocialResponsibility</p><p></p>