Advising on Global Corporate Impact Fund Development

Background

A global beverage corporate leader sought opportunities to expand its footprint as a collaborative funder, and to augment its investments in new initiatives across Global South markets, aligning with supply chain sustainability priorities.

Challenge

Corporate’s sustainability goals were ambitious, and there was strong leadership interest in leveraging the company’s own investments into newer, more innovative and larger scale programs that could help the company meet its own goals, while supporting broader community climate, social and environmental goals at the same time. Key opportunities with other funders were being missed due to unclear internal readiness and inconsistent engagement. Wanted to explore innovative funding approaches in collaboration with other corporates, governments and philanthropies.

Approach

Over a period of 1-year, Joanne Sonenshine provided strategic support to Corporate’s Transformational Partnerships team to begin mapping the company’s highest-priority programs, identify co-funding opportunities, initiate funder conversations, explore new funding mechanisms and begin crafting impact fund.

Results

Identified and prioritized nearly 50 high-impact projects across regions. Advised on co-funding pathways for thematic areas: Water, Regenerative Agriculture, Social Impact, and Innovation. Initiated discussions with 33 potential co-investors Helped align regional teams around new funding mechanisms. Provided tailored recommendations on fund strategy and began development of fund structure.

Reflection

Funder interest in collaboration was high, there were plenty of opportunities for Corporate to begin development of the Fund and test new approaches that would allow its investments to go farther, but Leadership decided to pause Fund development and revisit traditional grant making. Ultimately the Corporate’s internal systems weren’t ready.