AMPD Proposal DRAFT

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ANIMA MUNDI DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS

 Funding Socially Responsible Businesses that Support Local Living Economies


 TO:      Professor Clark Hansen, CEO, AMDP 

 FROM: Lauryn Tham, R&D Analyst, AMDP        
DATE:        March 4, 2024

 SUBJECT:  Harmless Harvest Investment Recommendation Memo

 

Q1 | Understanding of Basic Concepts

Triple Bottom Line: The triple bottom line is a business concept that advocates for firms to assess their social and environmental impact, alongside financial performance – rather than simply their profit margins. Using the “Three P’s” (Profit, People, and the Planet) businesses can align their practices with sustainability goals and contribute positively to society and the environment (Miller).

Corporate Social Responsibility: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a business approach where companies integrate ways that enhance rather than degrade society and the environment. CSR can be separated into four categories: environmental impacts, ethical responsibility, philanthropic endeavors, and financial responsibilities (Fernando).

Social Enterprise: A social enterprise or social business is a business that prioritizes achieving specific social objectives alongside its primary purpose. These enterprises aim to maximize, both, profits and positive impacts on society and the environment, with the profits primarily used to support social programs (Barone)​​.

Carbon Footprint: A carbon footprint can be described as an environmental metric that quantifies the total amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs), expressed in CO2 equivalents, released directly or indirectly due to a particular activity. It is measured by observing the amount of GHGs released by various activities. This includes factors such as individual transportation choices, home electricity usage, consumption patterns, and recycling habits for individuals; energy use across all stages of production for products; and overall GHG emissions from operations, energy usage, and business travel for corporations. It is important to reduce our carbon footprint because it can help combat climate change, protect the environment, and benefit the economy and public health (Spasov).


Q2 | Harmless Harvest 


The enterprise proposed for investment is Harmless Harvest®, a company focused on producing ethical coconut water. Founded to create exceptional coconut water while maintaining high ethical standards, Harmless Harvest® is committed to continuous improvement. The company, founded in 2009, is perceived as a leader in ethical and sustainable practices within its field. With a growing team of 133 members, including a bustling headquarters in Oakland and operations in Thailand, Harmless Harvest® remains deeply engaged in every aspect of its production process and community impact. Their financial track record indicates steady growth and a commitment to sustainability, with notable partnerships in regenerative agriculture projects to reduce their climate impact, such as the Regenerative Coconuts Agriculture Project (ReCAP) launched in 2020.


ADD: financials, part B


Describe the enterprise you are proposing that AMDP invest in. a. The description should tell me what the company does, how old it is, how it is perceived in its field, and something about its financial track record (growth, profit, loss, etc.) b. The description should include a summary of the company’s own claims regarding its business practices in the areas AMDP is interested in. Please provide a citation of your source for the company’s claims. 


https://orbis-r1-bvdinfo-com.libproxy1.usc.edu/version-20231204-5-3/Orbis/1/Companies/Report


https://harmlessharvest.com/pages/our-mission


Q3 | Industry Insights


Danone Manifesto Ventures, the venture capital arm of Danone, recently acquired a majority stake in Harmless Harvest, a renowned producer of organic coconut-based products. This investment, part of a $30 million capital growth round in 2017, underscores Harmless Harvest's commitment to sustainable practices and ethical business operations. The company's innovative approach to sustainability, including organic certification for all its coconut farms and participation in the Regenerative Coconuts Agriculture Project (ReCAP), aligns perfectly with Danone's focus on expanding its plant-based offerings. Harmless Harvest's reputation as a leader in ethical and sustainable practices within the coconut water industry makes it a strategic investment for Danone as it continues to grow its presence in the plant-based market.

Present at least two opinions from well-regarded industry sources that provide a critical appraisal of the company’s statements about its practices. Please provide citations for these sources, as well (Doering). 


GIZ, short for Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, is a German development agency that specializes in international development cooperation. They announced a groundbreaking partnership with the Danone Ecosystem Fund and Harmless Harvest to launch the Regenerative Coconuts Agriculture Project (ReCAP) in Thailand. This innovative project aims to create the most sustainable, inclusive, and regenerative farming model for the coconut industry and the planet. With the surge in demand for coconuts and the challenges posed by climate change, ReCAP represents a new era of transformation for the industry. The project will provide farmers with training in farm management, soil health, and biodiversity enhancement, among other practices, to increase their resilience and income. Through ReCAP, Harmless Harvest and its partners are committed to not only transforming the coconut industry but also creating a positive impact on communities and the environment (PRNewswire).


ADD: Reword 


Q4 | Investment Recommendation 



Investors should consider Harmless Harvest for the following reasons:


  • Ethical business practices: Harmless Harvest was conceived with fair trade and social responsibility principles at its core, focusing on treating everyone involved in its supply chain fairly and responsibly.

  • Vision and mission: The company envisions a world where nutritious, clean, organic, and healthy food and beverages are the standard, and its mission is to touch more lives with clean food and beverage movement by creating delicious Harmless foods produced and traded with fair and sustainable business practices.

  • Business aspiration: Harmless Harvest's success is measured by its ability to create new participants in the economy and demonstrate that modern capitalism can deliver more equitable economic distribution, environmental improvements, and cleaner, healthier foods.

  • Impactful practices: The company creates delicious, healthy, plant-based food and beverages using sustainable farming practices and pioneering technologies, while continuously reducing waste and improving methods to be eco-conscious.

  • Commitment to fair trade and social responsibility: Harmless Harvest's eco-system includes Fair for Life certification, which ensures fair trade and social responsibility in its practices, benefiting more than 6,000 individuals in its community since 2015.

  • Environmental responsibility: The company's commitment to environmental responsibility includes appropriate waste management, ecosystem management, use of traditional knowledge, contribution to local development, and a "no blending rule" for its Fair Trade coconut water.


ADD: Paragraphs


https://www.fairforlife.org/pmws/indexDOM.php?client_id=fairforlife&page_id=certified&lang_iso639=en&company_id=314

Works Cited

Barone, Adam. “The Aims of Social Enterprises.” Investopedia, 2022, www.investopedia.com/terms/s/social-enterprise.asp#:~:text=A%20social%20enterprise%20or%20social.

Doering, Christopher. “Danone Buys Majority Stake in Coconut Products Maker Harmless Harvest.” Food Dive, 30 June 2021, www.fooddive.com/news/danone-buys-majority-stake-in-coconut-products-maker-harmless-harvest/602567/. Accessed 6 Mar. 2024.

Fernando, Jason. “Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Explained with Examples.” Investopedia, 14 Feb. 2024, www.investopedia.com/terms/c/corp-social-responsibility.asp.

Miller, Kelsey. “The Triple Bottom Line: What It Is & Why It’s Important.” Harvard Business School Online, 8 Dec. 2020, online.hbs.edu/blog/post/what-is-the-triple-bottom-line.

“Our Mission.” Harmless Harvest, harmlessharvest.com/pages/our-mission.

PRNewswire. “Harmless Harvest and Its Partners Launch the First Coconut Regenerative Agriculture Initiative.” Www.prnewswire.com, 9 Dec. 2020, www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/harmless-harvest-and-its-partners-launch-the-first-coconut-regenerative-agriculture-initiative-301189044.html. Accessed 6 Mar. 2024.

Spasov, Konstantin. “The Importance of a Carbon Footprint: All You Need to Know.” Modeshift, 18 Aug. 2023, www.modeshift.com/what-is-the-importance-of-a-carbon-footprint-everything-you-need-to-know/#:~:text=A%20carbon%20footprint%20is%20one.


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