Impact
We are proud of the social impact achieved with our SMEs
Our impact
Since our first investments, we have focused on creating a positive measurable social and environmental impact, as well as delivering attractive returns for our investors.
We create social impact through SMEs since they connect large groups of farmers to the market and employ large numbers of staff.
Truvalu’s primary impact goal is to sustainably improve the living standards of smallholder farmers.
To create and measure social impact we take three factors into consideration when selecting SMEs to invest in and work with:
- number of farmers we reach through the SMEs
- number of workers we reach through the SMEs
- value of decent wages paid out to these suppliers and their workers
We use the list of key metrics developed according to IRIS+ System to measure and monitor impact performance of the investees. Investees have to comply with additional reporting requirements for impact measurement.
Given the importance of impact data for our company, we will further deepen our impact thesis and framework.
Discover how we managed to serve this dual impact-profit objective in our 2021 Impact Report, describing the impact on a subsection of 13 investees our of 30. Our social impact report 2021 can be downloaded here.
SDG 2 Zero
Hunger
This goal focuses on ending hunger and all forms of malnutrition by 2030. Truvalu contributes to this goal by progressively helping to improve land and soil quality and ensuring sustainable food production systems, thus doubling agricultural productivity, off take from and incomes of small-scale food producers (especially women, youth and indigenous people).
SDG 5 Gender
Equality
Truvalu contributes to gender equality and women empowerment by investing with a gender lens. We support women-owned, women-led companies and gender focussed companies promoting gender equity in the workplace and their value chains.
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
Truvalu contributes to SDG 8 by investing in scalable agri-food SMEs with a specific focus on: 1. creating sustainable employment for both qualified and unqualified workers; 2. increasing knowledge and skills in the workforce and 3. promoting market-based solutions that further improve the sector’s productivity and added value. 4. Building local ecosystems for business development and investment services.
SDG 12 Responsible Production and Consumption
Truvalu invests in agri-SMEs that purchase their raw materials from a large network of producers. It adopts a fair pricing model for its branded products by equally sharing the price premium in international markets between value chain actors. Truvalu imports products which are WFTO, Fairtrade and/or organic certified to offer a responsible products to European consumers.
Our impact in 2021
Employment impact:
and sustained
Smallholder farmers impact:
per company
"My personal drive in life has always been creating equal opportunities for all. This explains why gender equality, diversity and inclusion are very close to my heart. Gender equality is a human right and investing in it just a very smart thing to do! Despite the compelling evidence of the business case, the global gender imbalance is still very critical. So putting this topic also on our agenda as Truvalu is key. This means using capital to generate financial returns and at the same time advance gender equity. Gender Lens Investing is a journey, especially if we want to use investments as a tool to shift market behaviour and get capital to the funds and firms, that are demonstrating and benefitting from gender equity, that see the strength of women as a market force and the risk of NOT paying attention to gender patterns.As impact investors we might need to take some more risks and step out of our comfort zones. Truvalu is ready to not only walk the talk. We strongly believe that together with others in the ecosystem, we can achieve good results and learnings, go faster and with much more impact. So we are very open to discuss opportunities with partners that share this vision to contribute to more gender equality in the economies we operate!"
Machteld Ooijens
Truvalu's director programs and partnerships