Civic consumption

Civic consumption is a model for social change that leverages shared buying power to reward socially responsible businesses. The model operates by gathering a group of consumers to leverage the group's size in order to expand access to a particular good or service.

History
The term first appeared in 2013, in a Fast Company article featuring Groundswell co-founder Will Byrne. The model has been used in the clean energy sector by Groundswell. The model has expanded to increasingly include hybrid organizations.

In 2013, Groundswell launched the Civic Consumption Network.

This network includes organizations such as Freelancers Union, First Book, EveryoneOn, and Common Market. In December 2013, with the support of the Ford Foundation, the Rita Allen Foundation, and the Kendeda Fund, Groundswell hosted a national summit to discuss strategies for social change. Notable attendees included Sara Horowitz of the Freelancers Union, Andrew Kassoy of B Lab, and Lewis of the U.S. Green Building Council.