Newman’s Own Urges More Firms To Donate 100% Of Profits To Charities

The promise is not new, yet it remains remarkable: 100% of profits from the sale of Newman’s Own foods—including salad dressings, pasta sauces, and popcorn—are donated to charity, Thalia Beaty reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Paul Newman, a Hollywood megastar and Oscar-winning actor whose face appears on all the company’s product labels, founded Newman’s Own in 1982. I Photo: Newman's Own

To celebrate what would have been company founder Paul Newman’s 100th birthday on January 26, the Newman’s Own Foundation is inviting other companies to join them in this commitment as part of the "100% for Purpose Club."

In a TED Talk released recently, Alex Amouyel, the foundation’s CEO and president, made a compelling case for why more for-profit companies should donate all of their profits to social causes.

She also pledged that the foundation would offer guidance and advice to organizations interested in making the switch.

The Philanthropic Enterprise Act, passed by Congress in 2018, has made it easier for companies to follow the Newman’s Own model. “It is trying to be a proof point and trying to serve as a model for a completely different type of organization,” Amouyel told AP in an interview.

Paul Newman, a Hollywood megastar and Oscar-winning actor whose face appears on all the company’s product labels, founded Newman’s Own in 1982. When he passed away in 2008, he donated the company to his foundation.

While the Newman’s Own structure is unique, it is not entirely one-of-a-kind.

An Australian company, Humanitix, donates 100% of its profits from selling event tickets to charity and is the second founding member of the "100% for Purpose Club." Amouyel expressed hope that more companies will seriously consider joining this initiative.