About our social enterprise

Behind Secret Projects there lies a passionate and driven story to economically empower women in India who have the skill to stitch. 

Our vision is a world where all women have the confidence and resources to makes choices, thrive and contribute to the strengthening of their communities. We are delighted to share more about what lies at the heart of Secret Projects here.

There are four ways to engage in our social enterprise. You can shop, make, travel and invest. 

The need...

There are millions of women in India who are trained to stitch but are unable to use their sewing skills to earn an income. Secret Projects is designed to create income generating opportunities for women in India by using their expertise.

Our vision...

A world where all women have the confidence and resources to make choices, thrive and contribute to the strengthening of their communities.

Our values...

Our values below are a fundamental aspect of who we are and how we operate as an organisation. These values are not only upheld by Secret Projects staff, but by our Maker Communities, our Shareholders and Customers, as well as our Influencers and Secret Leaders.

We have self-belief

We support one another

We believe in team-work

We persist

We think and think again

We trust our instinct

We take pride in everything we do

We work with joy

We have an entrepreneurial mindset and...

We celebrate leadership

Secret Projects Community Benefit Society (SPCBS) - our impact areas

We are a Community Benefit Society set up to benefit communities of marginalised women in India. We work with our subsidiary company in India, Social Power India to create and support sustainable livelihoods and an equitable world. We are a social enterprise and members of Social Enterprise UK. 

Our impact areas are:

Social Investor Platform: We provide a platform for social investors who want to invest in women’s empowerment and the creation of sustainable livelihoods.

Secret Leaders/Influencers: We are a vehicle for people who want to make a difference through their own personal and business networks, using their skills, passion and creativity.

Linkages: We connect our Maker Communities with the global marketplace (Business to Customer / Business to Business) by creating market linkages.

Fair Trade: We work within the 10 Principles of Fair Trade as set out by World Fair Trade Organisation to achieve fair wages and acceptable working standards and we are working towards minimal waste. We are members of BAFTS. BAFTS Fair Trade Network UK is a network of independent shops and suppliers dedicated to promoting Fair Trade retail in the UK

Experiences: We offer a variety of ways that our Makers and Customers can meet and work together.

Female led: SPCBS is run by a team of female 4 directors. We employ 1 part time member of staff and also work with volunteers, interns and sub-contractors. 

Social Power India Private Ltd. (SPI) - our impact areas

SPI enables sustainable livelihoods towards an equitable world. SPI is a subsidiary company to Secret Projects Community Benefit Society. It is based in Bangalore. 

Our impact areas are:

Training: We offer training to all the Makers when we work with them on production.

Professionalisation: We support a rise in quality of production and promote the concept of selling and marketing.

Enterprise Development: We mentor our Maker Communities to capitalise on the opportunities available to them locally

Leadership: We identify emerging leaders within our Maker Communities and support their development.

Sales: Maker Communities produce clothing and homeware that are sold to a global market through linkages created by our parent company, Secret Projects Community Benefit Society UK.

Fair Trade: We work within the 10 Principles of Fair Trade as set out by World Fair Trade Organization to achieve fair wages and acceptable working standards and we are working towards minimal waste.

 

Our contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

The work of Secret Projects makes a direct contribution to a number of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These goals provide a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet now, and into the future and we are proud to play our part. Our work makes an impact on:

Goal 1: No poverty,

Goal 5:  Gender Equality

Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth

Please read further details about our work towards these goals below

UN Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty

At Secret Projects, we believe that no-one should live in poverty. Backed by this belief, we pay our Makers a minimum of twice the Indian basic wage and the women receive 70% of the profit from each Secret Product they stitch. This money has been used to pay for children's education, to buy medicines, reject offers of unethical employment and our personal favourite, to fund the set-up of a number of micro-enterprises.



UN Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality

Gender Equality is an area that we are utterly passionate about. Our vision is a world where all women have the confidence and resources to make choices, thrive and to contribute to the strengthening of their communities. Working in 5 India states where employment opportunities for women are scarce, we have over 150 women within our Maker Community, all of whom earn an income from the making and selling of clothing and homeware. Our firm plan is to grow our network of Makers over the coming years.



UN Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

We have no doubt that all workers should be treated fairly and rewarded appropriately for their efforts. Secret Projects evolved through a desire to help women use the sewing skills they had to earn an income to support themselves and their families. Our Makers are fully supported through our 4 stage Virtual Training for Empowerment Programme to learn not only to stitch Secret Products to an international market standard but to also develop their leadership and entrepreneurial skills. Those that want to are supported to set up their own micro-enterprises, thus making a contribution to their communities through employment opportunities, as well as the wider economy.

Our business model


Secret Projects Community Benefit Society (SPCBS) is a social enterprise. A social enterprise is an organisation that applies business models to solve social issues.​

As a social enterprise, Secret Projects operates a framework, which allows the organisation to generate positive change to our community to achieve our vision of a world where all women have the confidence and resources to make choices, thrive and contribute to the strengthening of their communities, while maintaining healthy financial returns to our Members/Shareholders. ​

To maintain a balance between positive change and healthy financial returns, SPCBS has developed a business model, which is a hybrid of three business models: ​

Cooperative Business ​

Entrepreneur Support ​

Market Linkage

Please read on for more information about our business model.


The Cooperative Business Model​

​Similar to a cooperative, the CBS is owned by its Members/Shareholders – individuals and companies who share Secret Projects vision of a world where all women have the confidence and resources to make choices, thrive and contribute to the strengthening of their communities. ​

They are social investors with a shared goal to achieve positive social impact within the communities they benefit, while receiving moderate interest on their investment when profits are generated by the company in the future. ​

By purchasing shares in SPCBS, all members subscribe to the rules of the society.


The Entrepreneur Support Model​

To achieve its social vision, SPCBS encourages entrepreneurship amongst women by providing training, and commercialisation through our four stage Virtual Training for Empowerment Programme. ​

​Working closely with established and reputable Indian based charities and NGOs, we link up with communities of women who have good sewing skills who want to be able to earn a living from their expertise, but need support to find income generating opportunities. These women become part of our Maker Community, forming local Maker Groups and, with our guidance, learn how to make Secret Projects clothing and homeware, known as Secret Products.

Each woman becomes part of our 4 stage Virtual Training for Empowerment Programme that not only provides a route to both the domestic and international sales markets, but also gives each member the tools to be able to form their own micro-enterprises, if this is something they want to pursue.​


The Market Linkage Model

SPCBS has a subsidiary in India, Social Power India (SPI), an income-generating and profit- making arm of the business, which helps it to achieve its objective of maintaining healthy financial returns. The business provides access to international and local markets through SPI by using its e-commerce platform, powered by Shopify to:

Market products produced by Secret Projects Maker Community
Linking our customers with our Maker Community by the promotion and selling of Secret Projects travel experiences for teachers, artists and tourists to the heart of our project in India

Linking with big businesses
Our pro bono law firm is international law firm Hogan Lovells
We enjoy a close relationship with the UK's leading cause based crowdfunding platform, Crowdfunder UK

Linking with universities
We develop working relationships with universities providing access to our Maker Community to conduct research programmes
Universities we have worked with include: Christ Canterbury Christ Church University (UK), Goldsmiths (UK), London Business School (UK),  UCL and Westminster University (UK), Madras College of Social Work, India

If you would like to talk to us about our business model and how we might work together, please email Fritha Mason, CEO SPCBS: fritha@secretprojects.org

Further information

Parent company:

Secret Projects Community Benefit Society Ltd: Registration number 8216. Date of registration 10/10/19

Wholly owned subsidiary company:

Social Power India Private Limited: Registration number CIN U17299KA2019FTC131168. Date of registration: 31/12/2019