As a student of business, both inside and outside the classroom I always geek out when I hear about companies that are designed to help the world. One company I discovered is Veerah, a mission-driven luxury women’s shoe company. Committed to making a positive impact, Veerah is different from other companies due to their belief of “do good, look incredible," which impacts every aspect of the company.

Photo: Jaclyn Moy on Unsplash

The name Veerah (pronounced vee-rah) is derived from the word ‘warrior’ in the language of Sanskrit. This is meant to remind women of their strengths and what they are capable of. Veerah has a 1-10-100 battle plan, meaning that at least 1% of their proceeds are directly contributed to social impact causes, Veerah employees receive complimentary self-improvement classes and volunteer opportunities for 10 hours per month, and for every 100 customer interviews, Veerah will sponsor a one-year scholarship for a She’s The First girl scholar. She’s The First is a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships, mentorship, and empowerment to girls in low-income countries so they can be the first person in their family to graduate. All of these things alone make Veerah a company you’d want to pay attention to… but there’s more.

In addition to the causes they contribute to, Veerah’s shoes are cruelty-free and 100% vegan, and they use organic and recycled materials for their shoes. Climate change has become very relevant in our everyday life, and it’s refreshing to see companies do their part. Also, many people, especially millennials, are looking for companies like Veerah. We shouldn’t have to buy products that are hurting the world, and companies like Veerah are Stepping Up to be a part of that change.

I think, and hope, that in the near future, we'll see more companies operate in the way that Veerah does. Their commitment to supporting social causes a well as the environment is something that customers are really responding to. There are many ways to help the world, and now, buying a new pair of shoes is one of them- that's pretty awesome!