Author: Lucas Woodling

SEATTLE, Washington — Traditional companies are legally obligated to make decisions that solely maximize shareholder profit.  An incorporated entity designed to benefit the public interest alongside shareholder profit is called a Benefit Corporation. Now, a new structure is gaining a foothold and it could improve thousands of lives. The B Corp certification ensures all stakeholders are given first priority in company decisions. Entrepreneur Magazine says the rise of B Corp certification is rooted in a vision to objectively impact global society for the better. The major difference between a B Corp-certified business and Benefit Corporation is that the former is independently certified, while the latter…

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Teamwork requires cooperation to reach a common goal. In cooperatives, this is the involvement of the community from creation to consumption. Haiti Design Co-Op is a cooperative in Haiti which uses the “commonality between the designer, maker, and consumer” to develop community. It follows the Haitian proverb “many hands make the load light”, which embodies the cooperative spirit. Founded in 2014, Haiti Design Co-op prioritizes people over profit, pursuing sustainable development through artistic design, in-house job training and stable employment. The cooperative employs around 60 local artisans to create fashion products across five branches. It is rooted in the…

SEATTLE, Washington — There are two primary reasons for why people choose to invest capital: the first is to make money, the second is to create change. Root Capital is a marketplace financier focused on creating change through investment. The organization seeks to promote social, economic, and environmental sustainability over the long term in farming communities in Latin America and Africa. This is known as rural social impact investing. Founded in 1999, Root Capital began as a part of the nonprofit Ecologic Development Fund (EDF). Root Capital’s model is built upon providing financing for small businesses that buy from producers in…

SEATTLE, Washington — Coffee trade is the second-largest commodity market in the world, with production occurring largely in the area known as the ‘coffee belt’. Most of the countries located within the coffee belt are also developing countries, most of which have felt the pain of an epidemic known as la roya, or coffee leaf rust. From Sri Lanka to Colombia, the spread of coffee leaf rust has disrupted economies and endangered livelihoods. Coffee leaf rust is a plant disease caused by hemileia vastatrix, a parasitic fungus which attacks the leaves of coffee trees, covering them in orange, yellow and red…

BOGOTÁ, Columbia – Founded in 1995, Asociación Anei (ASOANEI, or just Anei) is a coffee producer cooperative of community growers around Colombia. Its focus is on promoting community growth and improvement while putting economic security in the hands of its members. Comprising more than 700 families, Anei balances growth and sustainability utilizing the cooperative business model to ensure fair trade coffee and organic farming practices, cultural preservation, and community development. The cooperative organization model is one in which employees are viewed as member-owners with one vote per member. There are multiple types of cooperatives, such as consumer and worker cooperatives. Because they…

LEE’S SUMMIT, Missouri — Multiple organizations monitoring global markets are eyeing the African beer market as the future of beer production. Multinational beer companies like AB InBev are already thriving, but the microbrew market, where small breweries and home-brewers compete, is relatively separate. Due to the relatively high cost of microbrew beer, this market is courting a growing middle class of beer connoisseurs with disposable income. As access to modern infrastructure improves and with a burgeoning middle class across Africa, the demand for craft beer is also bringing competition from global giants of the industry. Demographically, Africa is a major emerging market.…