Our Story
We are a social enterprise based in Oxfordshire who supplies sustainable detergents to shops, farmers markets, cooperatives, charity organisations and more. In 2006, SESI was born in the shed of the local primary school, giving rise to the name School Ethical Supplies Initiative - quite a mouthful we think! As we evolved, we kept the name SESI, as some say it's catchy!
At SESI, we are proud to develop products that are:
✓ Vegan
✓ Cruelty Free
✓ Biodegradable
We have a wide range of options from liquids to powders, foods produced for SESI by sustainable farmer partners, organic cleaning and toiletries products.
SESI MIY PRODUCTS! These are carefully selected goods for you who make your own cleaning products - great if you need to keep your cleaning spending on a tight budget or you simply love making your own! We supply green bleach, food graded bicarbonate of soda, cleaning vinegar, Epsom salts, citric acid, organic liquid castile soap. And watch this space, as our range keeps on expanding, on public demand!
Our refill campaign has been pioneering social and environmental inclusion in Oxford since 2006, and we keep on learning with the support of our stockists and customers now across the UK. SESI research our ingredients, and we collaborate in the design of our own formulas of liquid detergents which are manufactured in Oxfordshire by a brilliant family firm. By refilling our products people are reducing their plastic footprint, using products that are harmless to people and planet, and lowering their carbon footprint. Part of our delivery services including working with our local Velocity (electric transport) who carry out all our deliveries across Oxfordshire, and pallets across the UK with local DARCICA, an electric delivery freigtht.
In July 2025 we crossed 5 million pieces of packaging reused and refilled with SESI goods!
At SESI we use a closed-loop system, which means that all of the tubs and containers that we provide are collected and cleaned for re-use.
Join us in our mission for a
cleaner, greener, fairer future.
Our Journey
From Humble Beginnings to Sustainable Impact
Community Roots
Born in the shed of our local primary school in Oxford - a not for profit refill service, the food part is for community engagement.
Brand Launch
We launch our SESI brand of sustainable detergents - having spent years researching other products, the 'eco' marketing effect (greenwash), formulas and misnomers, dirty palm oil and other damaging monocrops and plastic pollution. We continue to update our formulas the more we learn from research and customer supportive feedback.
Family Effort
Our daughters (then 15 yrs old and 13yrs old) helped with refilling at a local Sunday farmers market. They didn't get paid for this in the early years, but salary for market stall assistants did come around 2015!
Regional Expansion
Sat 10th March, SESI runs a free of charge Refill Workshop from Paul and Rina's home, since then customers outside of Oxfordshire begin to contact and join us.
First Salary
From September, SESI pays a salary for the first time to Rina (one of the founders)
Full Commitment
August is the month when Paul Godden (one of the founders) leaves his full time job to join SESI - a financially risky strategy which is taken with the confidence that both directors can finally pay themselves a low but safe income
Founders Bio
Rina
Director
Growing up homeless in an environment affected by lack of mental health and good nutrition, in the context of a civil war in El Salvador, Rina learned early in life what it means to live within your means, reuse, refill. This also founded Rina's community values where solidarity, sharing, repairing and problem solving were part of team power.
Through scholarships Rina was able to study in high school and university, studying Evaluation of Operational systems, which knowledge she applied to the planning, evaluation, monitoring and supervision of various projects. Along this path, Rina was entrusted with managerial and directorial roles in various community based initiatives. It was through Rina's interest in cooperatives in Central America, that Rina and Paul met.
Rina cares about the impact of natural and social sciences in the development of local and global communities. She has a passion for social and climate justice, and works for a horizon where people and planet live in harmony.
Paul
Director
Paul learned from an early age thanks to an engineer dad and politician mum, to be in the practical action, to be a team player, to put his skills at the service of others. Having had learning experiences in Botswana, and worked for a few years in Tanzania, Paul then worked with the Quakers in El Salvador right after the civil war had ended and the peace agreement had been signed.Paul worked with various projects but one of the most crucial was training leaders of all kinds of cooperatives, in areas of administration and accounts, which was much needed at a time when repatriated people were coming back to the country and needed the right set of skills to lead their cooperatives.
A new period of life in Scotland and then back in England involved raising a family (with Rina). Paul is an engineer, qualifying later in life as a Chartered Management Accountant (CIMA), working for the University of Oxford from 2000-2019, becoming the Finance Manager at the Oncology Department.
Putting his ideas and design in motion, Paul's mind and heart are committed now more than ever to help direct our efforts in SESI towards climate action, without loosing sight of how central economic and social change are to this journey.
Meet The Team
Steve
A bit of everything
Joao
Warehouse
Shiwang
Warehouse
Albert
Warehouse
Kiran
IT Systems & Warehouse
Maya
Marketing Project Developer
Patrick
Delivery Driver
Peter
Delivery Driver
Alan
Delivery Driver
Our Partners and Networks
Delivery partners:
- Velocity Couriers: electric transport, delivering SESI goods across Oxfordshire
- Darcica Logistics: Oxfordshire based electric fleet for pallet deliveries
SESI is a member of...
- Community Action Groups - a cooperative with over 100 climate action groups and social enterprises
- Good Food Oxford - SESI food project with other Oxford based local businesses, cooperatives and the Oxford Food Hub.
Business partners
- Cotswold Gold
- Dorset Sea Salt
- Honest Toil
- Jericho Coffee Traders
- Just Oil and Just Crisps
- Rural Tradings
- Wholesome Crunch
Membership
