Economy of Communion

The Economy of Communion is a business model rooted in the Focolare Movement in which mission-driven companies aim to address social problems while remaining fully competitive members of their local economies. A participating business first ensures its own financial sustainability, then divides its profits between direct aid for people in need and support for spreading what the movement calls a culture of giving, combining ordinary commercial operation with an explicit commitment to redistribution. Chiara Lubich founded the initiative in May 1991 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, drawing inspiration from the early Christian community in Jerusalem, in which, according to the movement's own account, no member was left in need; the project began with participants selling personal assets, including livestock, to buy its first shares. What started as a religious initiative has since grown into a wider humanitarian network open beyond the movement's own membership, and by the time of description more than 750 companies worldwide take part in it, with dedicated business centers called productive or industrial poles showcasing member enterprises in individual countries since 1994.