ON PURPOSE has secured a strategic equity investment from PR industry veterans Rishi Seth and Zach James, as the mid-sized communications firm looks to accelerate its next phase of growth while deepening its focus on social impact and sustainability.Seth and James bring more than three decades of combined leadership and entrepreneurial experience to the firm. Their careers span senior roles across agencies such as BCW Global, Six Degrees PR, Alphabet Consulting, and Text 100. More recently, both became strategic investors in The PRactice, a move that mirrors their latest involvement with ON PURPOSE.The investment is aimed at supporting ON PURPOSE’s long-term scale ambitions. Key priorities include shifting the business towards a more predictable, retainer-led revenue model and strengthening leadership depth beyond the first line of management. Despite the equity infusion, ON PURPOSE will continue to operate independently of the investors’ other business interests and will maintain its clear stance of working exclusively on social impact-driven mandates, including its long-standing refusal to represent polluting industries.Founder Girish Balachandran will continue to lead the firm as CEO and retain his shareholding. The partnership is positioned as a hands-on one, with Seth and James expected to work closely with Balachandran, the leadership team, and clients, contributing operational expertise and strategic guidance as the firm evolves.The move reflects a broader belief that purpose-led communications is no longer a niche discipline but increasingly central to reputation management, regulation, talent engagement, and long-term business value. The partnership also underscores a shared view that future-ready communications models must balance measurable impact, predictable growth, and storytelling suited to an environment shaped by AI, digital platforms, and rising stakeholder scrutiny.In addition to growth and scale, the investment is intended to help ON PURPOSE build stronger senior leadership capacity and sharpen its organisational structure as the firm expands its client base across sustainability, advocacy, development communications, CSR, and behaviour change.Seth and James’ involvement with ON PURPOSE follows a similar investment they made in The PRactice two years ago. Both firms will continue to operate independently, with Girish Balachandran and Nandita Lakshmanan remaining CEOs of ON PURPOSE and The PRactice respectively. While there is no merger planned, the structure allows for selective collaboration and shared learning between the two organisations.The two firms are positioned as complementary rather than overlapping. The PRactice’s strengths lie in corporate reputation, leadership communications, B2B technology, and stakeholder relations, working with Fortune 500 companies, unicorns, and global technology brands. ON PURPOSE, by contrast, works closely with multilaterals, foundations, NGOs, and organisations focused on social and environmental impact. Together, the combination is seen as enabling broader capability-building while preserving distinct identities and values.Operationally, the arrangement is expected to allow best practices from both firms to inform each other’s growth, functioning as a more flexible, incubation-led model rather than a traditional network structure. The leadership on both sides views the partnership as an enabler of stronger capabilities and more sustainable scale, without creating conflicts or diluting each firm’s core mission.

ON PURPOSE, a creative consultancy with a mission to use communications for social change, has been appointed as the communications partner for the India Mental Health Alliance (IMHA), a not-for-profit organisation founded by Vasvi and Ashish Bharat Ram in collaboration with Children First and AMAHA Through this partnership, ON PURPOSE will lead IMHA’s media relations and strategic communications, supporting its vision to reimagine and transform mental health discourse and practice in India. The agency will focus on amplifying IMHA’s initiatives, building visibility around its convenings and events, and positioning it as a leading voice driving collaboration, accessibility, and equity in mental health care.“We’re proud to partner with IMHA at this formative stage in their journey to create a more equitable and capable mental health ecosystem in India. At ON PURPOSE, we believe that changing the conversation is the first step to driving systemic change, and IMHA’s commitment to collaboration and capacity-building makes this a deeply meaningful association for us” said Girish Balachandran, Founder & Managing Director at ON PURPOSE.Karan Malik, Executive Director, Kai India Mental Health Forum IMHA said, “At IMHA, we think that mental health care has to be inclusive, reflective, and sensitive to the various realities of India. By collaborating with ON PURPOSE, we will be able to broaden this discussion, make sure that our collaborations and programs reach more people, and encourage collective action for improved mental health.”Founded in 2023, IMHA has built an Alliance of over 250 members, including mental health organisations, cross-sectoral organisations, collectives of lived experience experts, funders, and academic and research organisations. It also works with mental health professionals, community leaders, and people with lived experience. Its initiatives focus on capacity building, collaborative learning, and cross-sectoral partnerships to strengthen India’s mental health ecosystem. As conversations around mental health gain ground in India, it remains one of the most urgent yet sensitive areas of public health. With growing recognition of its importance, there is a stronger call for empathy, awareness, and systemic support to make mental health care accessible and inclusive for all.

ON PURPOSE, a creative consultancy with a mission to use communication for social change, has been appointed as the agency on record for Central Square Foundation (CSF), a non-profit organisation working to ensure quality school education for all children. Following a competitive multi-agency pitch, ON PURPOSE will drive CSF?ÇÖs strategic communications to amplify its initiatives and impact. With this partnership, ON PURPOSE will play a pivotal role  in advancing CSF?ÇÖs vision for systemic change in India?ÇÖs education landscape, through the key pillars of: Foundational Learning and Numeracy (FLN) for critical learning skillsAccessible edtech solutions for allEarly childhood education for school-readinessImproved school governance to benefit students, parents and educators alike Girish Balachandran, Founder & CEO at ON PURPOSE, said, ?Ç£This marks our second collaboration with CSF, reaffirming our shared commitment to shaping conversations and driving systemic change in India?ÇÖs education sector. We?ÇÖre thrilled to partner with them again, an inspiring, mission-driven organization leading the charge to ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive.?Ç¥Romonika D Sharan, Director, Policy & Communications, Central Square Foundation, said, ?Ç£Finding a partner who understands the urgency of systemic reform and the transformative power of early learning was essential. ON PURPOSE brings the right expertise, experience, and a deep understanding of our mission and landscape, making them the ideal collaborator to drive these critical conversations. We look forward to co-creating strategies that deliver lasting impact and improve learning outcomes for every child in India..?Ç¥ Over the past five years, CSF has been an instrumental force in advancing  foundational literacy and numeracy through the NIPUN Bharat Mission, driving systemic improvements in education nationwide. Active in 14 states, with a focused FLN agenda in 11, CSF partners with state and national governments and key stakeholders to enable system-led reforms for better learning outcomes. ON PURPOSE will support CSF with strategic outreach and building salience urgency around FLN and school governance reforms as urgent priorities for India?ÇÖs education system.