Our Mission πŸ’š

We believe people doing meaningful work should be able to do it for the long term.

Too often, social impact careers are sustained by burnout, inconsistency and personal sacrifice.

SOMOS exists to change that.

We build simple, practical tools that help people stay well, focused (and able to keep going)! 🎯

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Our Mission πŸ’š

We believe people doing meaningful work should be able to do it for the long term.

Too often, social impact careers are sustained by burnout, inconsistency and personal sacrifice.

SOMOS exists to change that.

We build simple, practical tools that help people stay well, focused (and able to keep going)! 🎯

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A Message From Our Founder πŸ’Œ

Hey! I'm Khawar and I head things up at SOMOS πŸ‘‹πŸ½

Social impact work is getting harder to sustain.

Not because people care less but because the systems around them often demand too much, with too little support.

Even the most committed people can end up stretched, inconsistent or burnt out.

The challenge

People doing meaningful work need more than motivation.

They need:

  • energy 
  • clarity 
  • stability 

But too often, they’re working within structures that don’t support long-term thinking or sustainable ways of working.

The result is simple: people struggle to keep going β€” even when the work matters deep.

What SOMOS is building

SOMOS is an attempt to support the people doing that work.

We’re building a growing set of small, practical tools that help with the fundamentals: energy, clarity and sustainability.

Tools that are simple to use, fit into everyday life and become more useful over time.

Where we’re starting

We’re starting with Food Journal β€” a simple way to understand your energy through what you eat.

It’s a small tool, but it speaks to a bigger idea: supporting people to do meaningful work, sustainably.

We’ll keep building β€” slowly, thoughtfully, and in partnership with the people we’re here to support.

Khawar | Founder & CEO @ SOMOS πŸ‘‹πŸ½

The Story So Far 😊

  • A peach-coloured card with the bold heading β€œcommunity-strapping” and a definition underneath: β€œFunding a project using a mix of self-finance, community support, and early revenue β€” keeping control in the community, prioritising values and growing organically.”

    The Seed 🌱

    SOMOS was founded with Β£30k in seed funding from 18* incredible individual investors across Europe, the US, and Asia β€” all aligned with our belief in doing business differently.

    From the start, we committed to community-strapping: building a company that makes space for community, employee, and customer co-ownership β€” not just shareholder returns.

    * we're up to 29 now! πŸ’š

  • A mint-green card with the bold heading β€œrefugees in limbo” and a definition underneath: β€œPeople seeking asylum who are stuck in legal uncertainty β€” unable to work, move freely, or access basic services due to state-imposed restrictions.” The card sits on a pastel mint background, styled to match the SOMOS brand.

    First Hires ✨

    Launched our entry-level hiring scheme for refugees in limbo β€” a remote graduate-style programme with proper pay, benefits, and mentorship.

    Two brilliant alumni, Ali and Areej, completed the scheme and have since gone on to full-time work. Proud doesn’t even cover it.

  • A pastel purple card featuring the bold heading β€œco-ownership” and a definition underneath: β€œA shared model of ownership where value, voting rights, and long-term decision-making power are distributed across community, workers, and users β€” not just investors.” The text is styled in lowercase and the design is clean and minimal.

    Sharing Ownership 🀝

    Conversation Over Borders became our first community co-owner.

    We gifted them equity in the business β€” a first-of-its-kind partnership that gives COB the same financial and voting rights as our investors.

    A small example of what redistributing power can look like.

  • Definition card for the term "social justice" with a pink background. The word is defined as β€œthe pursuit of equity, dignity, and freedom β€” challenging unjust systems, amplifying marginalised voices, and building new structures rooted in fairness and solidarity.” Styled as a noun with bold pink typography.

    A Pivot With Purpose πŸ”

    After deep reflection, we shifted from building tools for online language teachers to building infrastructure for social justice changemakers.

    It was the right call β€” a better fit for who I am as a founder, and a much-needed direction in today's global landscape.

  • Definition card for the phrase 'build with, not for' on a soft yellow background. Text reads: 'build with, not for (phrase) – designing and building solutions in partnership with people and communities β€” centering lived experience, shared power, and mutual respect.

    Food Journal Launch πŸš€

    We’re starting the next chapter of SOMOS with the launch of our first tool in Q2 2026.

    Food Journal is a simple, daily tool to help you understand your energy β€” so you can stay well and keep doing meaningful work.

    It’s the first of a growing set of small, practical tools designed to support long-term work in social impact.

Community Driven Governance

SOMOS is a for-profit social enterprise and startup.

Our governing documents require us to take our shareholders, employees and other stakeholders into equal consideration when making decisions. 

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Purpose

We exist to help people doing meaningful work keep going β€” sustainably. 🎯

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Directors' Duties

Unlike most for-profit companies, SOMOS needs to think beyond the needs of its shareholders and also consider all stakeholders and the wider community in its behaviour and decision making. 

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Responsible Business Principles

SOMOS is committed to operating in line with its Responsible Business Principles which emphasize ethical practices, social responsibility, and sustainability. 

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Reporting

We produce an annual report to track our progress towards our community commitments.

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Innovation

We strive to be both innovative and culturally intelligent in our operations, and value the growth and development of our team. 

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Accountability

Our community partners have the same financial and voting rights as our investors, giving them direct shareholder power and holding us accountable to our community-focused mission.

Want to build a career in social impact that lasts?

Explore behind-the-scenes stories, insights and practical ideas on doing meaningful work β€” sustainably πŸ’‘

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SOMOS Newsletter

Thoughts on building meaningful work that lasts β€” from tools and habits to the realities of working in social impact.

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SOMOS Blog

Practical ideas and reflections on energy, sustainability, and doing your best work over the long term