Impetus forms a strategic partnership with Fairtrade

The latest investment to be announced by Impetus Trust, the pioneering venture philanthropy charity, announces it is investing in and forming a partnership with The Fairtrade Foundation, bringing the number of charities in the Impetus portfolio to eight.

The Fairtrade Foundation works to improve the lives of poor and marginalized farmers in developing countries by promoting fairer forms of trade. Currently around 580 producer groups, representing over 5 million people – farmers, workers and their families from 58 countries – benefit from Fairtrade.

Impetus is bringing a new approach to this investment by partnering The Fairtrade Foundation through its strategic planning process over the next 16 months with a view to making a longer term investment at the end of the planning process. The support from Impetus is to include a comprehensive sector and stakeholder analysis to be undertaken by OC&C Strategy Consultants. This leveraging of pro bono support from associates is central to the Impetus model of investment and adds significant value. For every pound from Impetus, it is estimated that at least two additional pounds are generated from pro bono expertise and co-investment for the portfolio charity.


Harriet Lamb, Executive director of The Fairtrade Foundation, comments:
“We are delighted to be entering this partnership with Impetus as part of the Fairtrade Foundation’s ambitions to scale up Fairtrade so that many millions more farmers and workers in developing countries can participate in this growing movement. We have huge opportunities – and challenges – before us and the additional operational and financial support Impetus will bring us are vital for the Fairtrade Foundation as it develops and implements bold new plans for the future’

Stephen Dawson, Impetus Chairman, comments:
“The Fairtrade philosophy of using consumer power in the developed world to help reduce poverty in developing countries fits well with our own quest for sustainable solutions to social problems. Fairtrade is a huge success, with UK sales of Fairtrade products doubling every two years. The Fairtrade Foundation faces many of the issues that rapidly growing businesses face and we hope that by bringing in additional business expertise we can help with some of these.”

Notes to Editors

1. The Fairtrade Foundation is Britain’s leading independent authority on Fairtrade. It was set up in 1992 by five of the country’s leading international development NGOs – CAFOD, Christian Aid, Oxfam, Traidcraft Exchange and the World Development Movement – which were later joined by the National Federation of Women’s Institutes. Membership has now expanded to include 13 civil society organisations that support the Foundation’s mission and can contribute to its work in promoting Fairtrade to the public

1. Impetus Trust is pioneering venture philanthropy in the UK. Impetus currently has seven charities in its portfolio. Impetus strives to make the biggest difference with donors’ money by helping the charities and social enterprises it supports to achieve a step-change in their performance. The ultimate goal is to enable these charities to have a greater impact on the lives of more people in need by improving the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of the services delivered. Daniela Barone Soares joined Impetus as their CEO in June 2006 from an NGO and private equity background. Impetus was founded in 2002 by Stephen Dawson, one of the first venture capitalists in the UK, and Nat Sloane, entrepreneur, venture capitalist and consultant.
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Venture Philanthropy (VP): Strategic funding and expertise for charities based on Venture capital principles for social rather than financial return.