Shared Earth’s origins trace back to 1986, when Piercy opened a fair-trade shop in York during the earlier years of the fair-trade movement.

Shared Earth expanded under Piercy’s leadership with a second shop opening in Leeds in 1988. As of 1992 the business had opened other premises in Bradford, Manchester and Birmingham.

At its height, Shared Earth had nine shops and four franchises around the UK, until the business was forced to recede by the financial crisis of the late 2000s. Since 2013, with shops in York and Liverpool and a booming wholesale business, sales have risen by over 30% each year, with a 43% increase in 2019 before Covid struck. 

In July 2020, Piercy appeared on a Leaders Council of Great Britain & Northern Ireland podcast, discussing the importance of leadership and its impact on his career to date.

Shared Earth’s mission is to tackle the climate crisis. In January 2021, Shared Earth became the first importer in the UK gift, fashion and homeware sector to decarbonise its shipping, by changing from fossil fuels to biofuels, meaning its entire supply chain now runs carbon free.

Shared Earth now buys from about 55 suppliers in 20 countries around the world, with thousands of artisans benefitting. During the pandemic it continued to place orders and has helped many to survive at a time of great economic difficulty.