Insights27 October 20261 min read

Team building events can be copied, but not the purpose behind it.

o3e began in 2011 to prove that team building could make a real difference, with every event built around a named charity. Similar activities have since appeared across the industry, which we take as a sign the approach works. What can’t be copied is the thinking behind it: the charity relationship, the understanding of what is genuinely needed and the lasting impact afterwards.

Peter LindsayFounder - o3e

We set out to change team building. We didn't expect quite so many people to follow our lead.

When we started o3e back in 2011, we wanted to challenge the perception of team building.

Too often it was seen as frivolous, wasteful and expensive. A fun afternoon out of the office, but with little to show for the time, energy and money invested. We believed there had to be a better way.

What if team building could bring people together, strengthen relationships and make a genuine difference to someone else's life?

That idea became o3e.

Over the years, we've created and developed a whole range of charity team building challenges, turning teamwork into something tangible for charities and communities.

In 2020, we also became a certified B Corporation, further reinforcing our belief that business should be a force for good. And somewhere along the way, something interesting happened. We started seeing some remarkably familiar activities appearing elsewhere.

Were we always thrilled? Not exactly! But perhaps it's also a sign that the approach we've championed for the past 15 years has helped change the industry. And if that means more businesses are using their team events to support charities and communities, surely that's something to celebrate.

Because there's a big difference between recreating an activity and delivering everything that makes it meaningful.

For us, the charity has never been an afterthought. It's where the thinking starts.

The relationships, the understanding of what's genuinely needed, the experience on the day and the lasting impact afterwards. That's what matters.

We're proud of what we've helped create, and we're certainly not finished innovating.

After all, you can copy an activity, but it's much harder to copy the purpose behind it.

Questions we get asked

When did o3e start running charity team building?

We started o3e in 2011 with the aim of changing how people think about team building, so that every event makes a difference to someone else.

What makes o3e different from other charity team building providers?

The charity is where our thinking starts. We build the relationship with the charity, understand what it genuinely needs, deliver the experience on the day and focus on the lasting impact afterwards

Is o3e a certified B Corp?

Yes. We became a certified B Corporation in 2020, which reflects our belief that business should be a force for good.

What do teams actually do on an o3e event?

Teams work together on activities that create something tangible, such as bikes, wheelchairs, scooters, musical instruments or sensory kits, which are donated directly to a named charity.

Why does it matter if other companies offer similar activities?

More businesses supporting charities through delivering team events is good news. But delivering the headline activity is only part of the picture. The purpose, the charity relationship and ensuring events have lasting impact are what make o3e events meaningful.

Team building events can be copied, but not the purpose behind it.

Questions we get asked

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