OXFAM GB

What OXFAM GB does

Oxfam GB is a UK-registered charity (no. 202918 in England and Wales; SC039042 in Scotland) and a company limited by guarantee (no. 612172), headquartered at Oxford Business Park. Founded in 1942 as the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief, it opened its first retail shops in 1948 and has since become one of 21 organisations in the Oxfam International Confederation, operating humanitarian, development and campaigning activities in more than 90 countries. Domestically, Oxfam GB runs a network of Oxfam Shops, Oxfam Superstores and Oxfam Bookshops across the UK (London, Oxford, Bristol, Cardiff, Chipping Norton and others) that sell donated goods to generate trading revenue for poverty-alleviation programmes; internationally, the organisation delivers field programmes through offices in the Philippines, South Sudan, Jordan, Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Nepal, with Oxfam Pilipinas serving as the contracting entity for Start Network pooled-financing and anticipatory-action products (Start Ready, Start Fund, FOREWARN) covering Tropical Cyclone and Flood risks.

The organisation's core products split across three surfaces. First, retail operations: a chain of high-street charity shops selling second-hand clothing, books and household items, with shops functioning as a hybrid donation intake, fundraising and second-hand retail channel since 1948. Second, a humanitarian programme portfolio covering gender justice, climate justice, economic justice, peace and human rights, delivered through partnerships with the Start Network (140+ aid agencies across five continents) and local implementing consortia. Third, a centralised digital recruitment platform at jobs.oxfam.org.uk that supports LinkedIn, Google, Facebook and Microsoft SSO authentication and distributes vacancies across Business Support, Communications, Finance, Fundraising, HR, Programme, Property & Logistics and Retail categories.

Oxfam GB's business model is a non-profit, donation-and-trading hybrid. Revenue streams consist of (a) trading income from Oxfam Shops selling donated goods, with the explicit trading purpose of maximising funds to overcome poverty, and (b) donations and charitable fundraising for humanitarian and development programmes. Distribution combines a UK physical retail storefront network with a global field-office footprint, while go-to-market for talent acquisition runs through the centralised Oxfam Job Portal, email job alerts, social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter) and third-party job boards (Indeed, Charity Jobs, Bond, Devex, Idealist, Guardian Jobs). Customer segments span vulnerable populations and communities in poverty (primary), individual donors and second-hand shoppers (retail), and NGO/civil-society partners collaborating on humanitarian financing and anticipatory action.

Name

OXFAM GB

Legal name

Oxfam GB

Website

https://jobs.oxfam.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1942

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Oxfam GB is a UK-registered charity founded in 1942, part of the 21-organisation Oxfam International Confederation operating in 90+ countries. It generates revenue through a national Oxfam Shop retail network and donations to fund humanitarian, development and gender-justice programmes delivered via field offices and Start Network partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian and Charitable Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Humanitarian Pooled Funds & Rapid Response Financing (BPADAOAK), Cash Assistance & Social Safety Net Delivery for Displaced Populations (BPADAHAH)

Keywords

• Charity retail
• Humanitarian aid
• Poverty alleviation
• Charity fundraising
• Disaster response

Headquarters

HQ city

Oxford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail Shop Revenue: Oxfam shops generate revenue by selling donated goods including books, clothing, and household items. The trading purpose is stated as 'to make as much money as possible to overcome poverty and suffering'. Shops have been operating since 1948.
2. Donations and Fundraising: As a registered charity (no. 202918 in England and Wales, SC039042 in Scotland), Oxfam GB raises funds through donations and charitable fundraising activities to support their humanitarian and development programmes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Oxfam GB is a registered charity that raises funds by selling donated second-hand goods (books, clothing, household items) through a network of UK retail shops, and delivers humanitarian and development programmes in more than 90 countries through the Oxfam International Confederation. Its operations also include an online recruitment portal, and it hosts humanitarian financing mechanisms (Start Ready, FOREWARN) under the Start Network partnership in the Philippines.

Product overview

Oxfam GB is a registered charity and part of an international confederation of 21 Oxfam organisations operating in more than 90 countries. The organization operates retail shops (Oxfam Shops) that sell donated goods to raise funds, alongside humanitarian and development programs delivered through partnerships with Start Network and other international aid agencies. Oxfam GB's careers portal enables recruitment across retail, programme, administrative, and consultancy roles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Oxfam Shops Charity retail shops selling donated goods including books, clothing, and household items across the UK; trading purpose stated as making as much money as possible to overcome poverty and suffering.
• Oxfam GB Careers Portal Online job board and application system for recruiting staff across Oxfam GB's retail shops, programme roles, administrative positions, and consultancy engagements; supports registration via LinkedIn, Google, Facebook, or Microsoft.
• Start Ready Anticipatory financing mechanism for predictable crises (e.g., tropical cyclones, floods), providing pooled funding to enable earlier action by national stakeholders.
• FOREWARN Forecast-based warning, analysis, and response network that supplies hazard and risk information to Start Network members to support anticipatory humanitarian action.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Start NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStart Network is a global network of 140+ aid agencies across five continents. Oxfam Pilipinas hosts Start Network programmes including Start Ready (anticipatory financing) and FOREWARN. The partnership aims to transform humanitarian action through innovation, fast funding, early action, and localisation. Start Network comprises Start Fund (smaller scale hazards) and Start Ready (pooled risk and investment).
• Oxfam ConfederationcoreOthersOxfam GB is a member of an international confederation of 21 organisations working together with partners and local communities in humanitarian, development and campaigning activities in more than 90 countries. The confederation structure enables shared resources, knowledge, and coordinated global action.
• Start Ready Implementing ConsortiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal and national implementing consortia that execute anticipatory actions under the Start Ready programme. In the Philippines, these include consortia for Cyclone and Flood systems operating under the Hub mechanism - collectives of NGOs that tackle common humanitarian issues at national level.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• World Vision UK: UK arm of World Vision International, a Christian humanitarian organisation running child-focused development and emergency programmes — directly comparable as a UK-anchored, internationally operating humanitarian charity.
• British Red Cross: UK arm of the International Red Cross movement, providing humanitarian aid, refugee support, and emergency response domestically and internationally — directly comparable in humanitarian mission, retail/fundraising model, and UK charity status.
• Tearfund: UK-registered Christian relief and development agency working through local partners in disaster response and poverty alleviation — directly comparable in mission, partnership-based delivery model, and UK charity status.
• Plan International UK: UK-based international development charity focused on children's rights and gender equality, working in dozens of countries — directly comparable in mission, donor base, and federated international structure.
• ActionAid UK: UK-registered international anti-poverty charity with a federation of country offices focused on women's rights, land rights and emergency response — directly comparable as a federated UK-headquartered humanitarian/development NGO.
• Save the Children UK: UK-registered international humanitarian and development charity focused on children's rights, operating emergency response and long-term development programmes globally — directly comparable in mission, funding model, and UK-anchored global footprint.
• CARE International UK: UK member of the CARE International confederation, delivering humanitarian and development programmes globally with a focus on women and girls — directly comparable in mission, confederation model, and donor-funded programme structure.
• Oxfam International: The umbrella secretariat of the 21-organisation Oxfam confederation that Oxfam GB belongs to — directly comparable as the parent coordinating body of the Oxfam network, sharing brand, mission, and global programme footprint.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC) UK: UK presence of a major US-headquartered humanitarian organisation delivering emergency relief and long-term support in crisis-affected contexts — directly comparable as a globally operating humanitarian charity delivering programmes in fragile states.

Regional players

• Concern Worldwide: Ireland-based international humanitarian organisation tackling extreme poverty in fragile states — highly comparable in scope, mission, and emergency response focus, with primary geographic base in Ireland rather than the UK.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oxfam-gb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OXFAM GB