Disruption is Here: Purpose as a System

Engine Room
Sep 22
4 min read

Updated: Nov 7

For years, disruption was “coming.” Now, it’s here. In 2025, survival isn’t about slogans; it’s about systems.

InPost: Sustainable Activation at Outernet, London

For too long, “purpose” was merely a branding exercise. It was a line in a campaign, a corporate responsibility page, or a feel-good add-on. But in 2025, that lens is obsolete. Purpose is no longer a positioning tool; it’s a design constraint. It defines how products are built, how capital flows, and how communities thrive.

The evidence is mounting. Edelman’s latest data shows 64% of people now buy based on belief, switching or boycotting brands based on values. Kantar found that brands recognised for purpose grew 2.5x faster than those that weren’t. Yet, PwC highlights the execution gap: while 79% of leaders say purpose is central, only 34% embed it into day-to-day decision-making.

The future will be won by those who close that gap.

Purpose as an operating model - not a campaign, but a system.
Audience as co-creator - the next success lives in communities and comments.
Trust as currency - belief now drives purchase and loyalty.
Diversity of thought - yesterday’s models won’t survive tomorrow.

Purpose as Operating Model

The organisations reshaping their sectors don’t just talk about purpose; they build it into their economics and infrastructure:

Patagonia - embedded activism into governance, transferring ownership so profits permanently fund climate causes.
InPost - reimagines parcel lockers as engines for circularity. Its EKOzwroty and “Bought Too Much” initiatives let people drop off unwanted clothes, books, toys, and electronics. In the UK, Aldi × InPost × Salvation Army is rolling out to 500+ stores this month.
Too Good To Go - has now saved over 400M meals globally, proving waste is an addressable market. OLIO adds another 120M meals shared peer-to-peer.
Fairphone - continues to set the benchmark on repairability and longevity, while Back Market saved an estimated 421,000 US tons of CO₂e in 2023 by scaling refurbished tech.
Tony’s Chocolonely - grew revenues to €200m while paying farmers living-income premiums through traceable supply chains.
The Sidemen - creators turned global entertainment empires, proving how agility and community can transform creator-led ecosystems into lasting businesses.
WeAre8 - founded by Zoe Kalar, disrupting the market with a new model for social platforms: one that redistributes ad revenue to people, communities, and planet projects. In September 2025, it became the #1 most-downloaded app in Denmark, with European rollout accelerating. Kalar has also introduced AI Shield to protect citizens from harmful AI-generated content, embedding safety by design.
Mira Murati - former CTO of OpenAI, now leading Thinking Machines Lab. She has consistently championed building AI with human intention. In an industry racing toward scale, her focus on safety, creativity, and human agency reframes AI as a purpose challenge, not just a tech one.
Essence Ventures - invests in culture-first, Black-owned brands, shifting capital flows toward underrepresented founders.
Project Everyone - translates the UN Sustainable Development Goals into campaigns that resonate with billions, mainstreaming the global purpose agenda.

Female Tech Entrepreneurs Leading the Way

It is no coincidence that female tech entrepreneurs are behind some of the boldest purpose-led innovations. Zoe Kalar at WeAre8 is redefining what social media can look like when built for people and planet, not profit extraction. Mira Murati, having stepped away from OpenAI to launch Thinking Machines Lab, advocates for AI designed with human intention—prioritising safety, creativity, and agency. Together, their work shows how leadership grounded in purpose is shaping the future of technology.

The Engine Pop View: Post-Progressive Purpose

We call this post-progressive purpose. It’s not about “adding impact”; it’s about making purpose the system itself. The common threads?

Embed it - in ownership (Patagonia), product (Fairphone), or infrastructure (InPost).
Measure it - with the same clarity as revenue (Unilever’s sustainable brands grew 69% faster).
Fund it - shifting value flows to people and communities (WeAre8, Tony’s Chocolonely).
Scale it - not as a campaign, but as a model (Too Good To Go, OLIO).
Humanise it - as Zoe Kalar says, “We want people to walk away feeling better, not worse.”
Apply it to frontier tech - as Mira Murati demonstrates, AI must be built with human intention, creativity, and safety at its core.

The Imperative

Purpose isn’t just resilience in times of crisis; it’s a competitive advantage. Those who see it as marketing will be left behind. Those who treat it as strategy will shape the next decade.

The old world is, indeed, dying. The question is whether leaders will build the systems that allow a better one to be born. The only question left is: are you building the future or just marketing the past?

Growth isn’t just a spike on a dashboard. It’s built on systems, stories, and smart strategy. At Engine Pop, we don’t just create content - we build IP with commercial longevity, designed to thrive across YouTube, social, streaming, and brand ecosystems.

If you’re ready to move with clarity—not noise—let’s start the conversation.

📩 Contact Engine Pop: hello@enginepop.co

🔗 Connect with Athena on LinkedIn

Athena Witter is the founder of Engine Pop and a former creative and strategy leader at BBC Studios, ITV, Fremantle, and Endemol. She specialises in digital-first content strategy, IP development, platform growth, and future-facing business models for the creative industries.

The Future of Purpose-Driven Business

As we look ahead, the landscape of business is changing. Purpose-driven companies are not just surviving; they are thriving. They are setting new standards and redefining success.

The Role of Technology

Technology plays a pivotal role in this transformation. It enables brands to connect with their audiences on a deeper level. It allows for real-time feedback and collaboration. This shift is not just about technology; it’s about how we use it.

Building Trust

Trust is the new currency. Brands that prioritise transparency and authenticity will win. Consumers are more informed than ever. They demand accountability and integrity.

The Power of Community

Communities are the lifeblood of purpose-driven brands. They foster loyalty and engagement. By involving audiences in the creation process, brands can cultivate a sense of belonging.