Shoemaker Clarks is turning 200. Its Quaker roots made it a pioneer of ethical business

By Nicholas Burton, Professor, Department of Leadership and Human Resource Management, Northumbria University, Newcastle

For many, the Clarks brand is a byword for sturdy school shoes and functional footwear for those of more mature years. The manufacturing and retailing company was set up two centuries ago in Somerset, England, in the shadows of Glastonbury Tor, by brothers Cyrus and James Clark. In 2025, it is celebrating its 200th anniversary and remains a formidable force both on the high street and online.

Less well known is that the Clark brothers, like chocolatier families Cadbury and Rowntree, were Quakers. This small religious community has produced a remarkable…

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