On a mission to prove business can be a force for good at scale

About us

We advance sustainable, scalable and inclusive approaches to development of local African economies.
Footprints Africa supports SMEs to adopt future-friendly practices, address the challenges of growth and create jobs, using supply chains as a tool for development. 

Focussing on 2 sectors, Catering and Commercial Waste Management, we are championing business as a force for good and piloting new business models that exemplify this. 

We are a Registered UK Charity and exist for public benefit.

NEW REPORT ALERT!

We are supporting businesses to discover the WHY behind impact measurement and how it can positively transform their business and the communities they serve. 


Footprints Africa’s latest report Measuring and improving your circularity: A how-to guide for Africa-based businesses. This is a user-friendly guide for measuring the impact circular initiatives for the future. 

 


This has been made possible by the support of RVO.



Circular Economy case studies from Africa


We are collecting inspiring examples of initiatives from across Africa. The intention is to create an open-source database of best practice that can inspire local initiatives, as well as inform the global dialogue, which is largely focused on the European and American context. 

We have created a database of 500 cases with strong regional representation. These cases are housed in a collection on Circle Economy’s Knowledge Hub and geo-located on the interactive map below. New cases can be added HERE. To delve deeply into what the circle economy looks like in practice, about people’s experiences and their aspirations, we circulated a series of surveys to the businesses that we mapped to capture this in more detail. Read the results HERE. We have also released four thematic reports to showcase case studies from the people and businesses that are pointing the way forwards. Read below.

This project is conducted in collaboration with the African Circular Economy Network (ACEN), with support from Shifting Paradigms and GRID-Arendal.

Read our thematic reports



CIRCULAR BUSINESS HOTSEATS


We are addressing the critical challenges faced by circular businesses through our catalytic and fast-paced Hotseat series. We have brought together over 120 circular entrepreneurs across four value chains: plastic waste to construction, regenerative agriculture, black soldier fly farming, and e-waste. We link them with technical experts and investment professionals to bring broad perspectives to solve their toughest questions in a unique, question only format. 


The hotseat series has been made possible by the support of Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund.


Read insights from each session as they are published. 


Footprints Africa – Mapping the circular economy across Africa

Training tools for Circular Economy 


The concepts of circular economy are not complicated.  Putting them into practice is a little more challenging. Each context and group of stakeholders is unique. Here we share educational material that illustrate circular economy concepts through case studies, showing their practical application by wise, resourceful entrepreneurs from across the continent.

These tools are open access, all we ask is that if you use them, you follow the following:


  1. Email us at changemakers@footprintsafrica.co
  2. Let us know what you used it for and audience numbers
  3. Share feedback from the session and the tools.


This project is conducted in collaboration with GRID-Arendal.


Our Programmes


 We run 6-month B Corp programmes to support SMEs to improve their Social and Environmental Impact.

Each company goes through the B Impact Assessment to measure the impact of their business. They then set their own targets for the change they want to make in the world across Governance, Workers, Customers, Community and Environment. Through a series of expert-led workshops, we guide them to achieve their targets and improve their contribution to sustainable, inclusive development.
 
As part of our value to build local expertise, we work with local partners, training them to go on to support participating SMEs throughout the process.
Watch videos of participants here

Research


People, Purpose and Profit: 
How Your Employees are the Link Between Business Success and Social Impact

A 2020 research paper by Footprints Africa into B Corp certified companies has placed employees at the heart of business success and social impact, showcasing successful examples. 
Read the Report

University Research Challenge 


Footprints Africa challenged tertiary undergraduates to undertake a research study that answers the question "What is an ethical wage?" The winning paper was presented by a team from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). They undertook their study in Bantama, a town in the Ashanti region of Ghana. 
Their paper suggests that the Living Wage for a working individual in Bantama exceeds the legal mandatory Minimum Wage by 75%. 
Read the Report

Our goals

1. At a Business Level, we support businesses to demonstrate the benefits of future-friendly practices.

2. At a System Level, through research, we are designing a roadmap for inclusive, regenerative development.

3. At an Operational Level, we are developing a sustainable model for system change.


Our approach


Create an evidence base to make the right choices easy. To do this we need to understand the barriers, both internal and in the broader ecosystem.

Through research and pilots of new business models, we incentivise the private sector to:

Promote better environmental standards

Adopt practices that lead to sustainable development

Positively impact the community


Our Values

Local solutions to local challenges; working with, and developing, local experts.

Get into the trenches and learn by doing, truly listening to those already there.

Continuous improvement, of ourselves, our work and those around us.


Open communication

Commitment to excellence and taking responsibility

Bring your own flavour and live your values.


The Team

Joanna Bingham

Chief Executive Officer

"Live your values, always"



Delia A. Awusi

Chief Operations Officer

"Remember to enjoy the scenery as you run the race"

Alice Tuoho

B Corp Programme Manager

“Leave a positive mark in your wake”



Hugo Warner

Research Consultant

 "Think generations ahead"

Priscilla Okumo

Communications and Learning Specialist

"Live to inspire"

Abigail Akyaa Asadu

Programmes Associate

"Strive for Excellence"

Gwen Akoamah
Employee Engagement Specialist
“What is right over what is easy”

Abena O. Otchere-Duah

Programmes Analyst

"Inherently good"

   Randy Adjei

     Environmental Specialist

     "Progress, not perfection"

Collaborate with us

We are excited to collaborate with any organisation which shares our objectives, particularly to develop local expertise. 

We're specifically interested in the following areas:
  • Business development “for purpose”, particularly behaviour change and creating cultures of learning
  • Circular economy
  • Catering industry in sub-Saharan Africa
  • Industrial Waste Management in sub-Saharan Africa

Get in touch
Charity no. 1179406
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