Monetizing Sommalife’s Social and Environmental Impact

Exploring opportunities for Sommalife to scale its impact and disturb the shea industry

Master thesis (2023)

Authors

W.A. Oomens Industrial Design Engineering

Contributors

J.C. Diehl Design for Sustainability - IDE (mentor)
J. Coelen Industrial Design Engineering (mentor)
Faculty
Industrial Design Engineering, Industrial Design Engineering
Copyright: © 2023 Willem Oomens
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Published Date

20-04-2023

Language

English

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Faculty

Industrial Design Engineering

Abstract

Smallholder farmers in the Shea Industry live a challenging life. From lack of economic opportunities to climate change, if they are not helped their already troubling situation will worsen. Sommalife is a social startup who strives to sustainably improve the lives of rural farmers in West Africa by helping with production, protecting lands from deforestation dn having developed a software to improve operations. Sommalife has been successful at this to a small extent and has set the stage for an impactful act in West Africa. Sommalife currently does this with their own profits as the shea supply chain does not pay for impact at the moment. Without this support Sommalife will struggle to scale and improve its impact. Existing tools to monetize impact , such as Fair Trade, do not apply to the widespreadness of Sommalife’s operations and the poverty level of the farmers as their operations have high monitoring costs.

Fortunately, the world is changing and a demand from consumers for sustainable products is affecting industries. Industries with similarities to the shea industry like the cacao industry. Sommalife has an opportunity to monetize their impact by advancing the industry and attempting to address the consumers. This can be supported by opportunities to monetize their social and environmental impact through carbon credits and a form of storytelling driven by impact data. The climate projects are supported by partnerships and will provide additional social and financial benefits to communities, while also generating carbon credits. On the social side, Sommalife can monetize its impact through data-driven storytelling. This involves turning data into tangible narratives that build consumer trust and brand loyalty for Sommalife and its partners. In return Sommalife will expect these companies to pay an impact fee.

These services are by a brand strategy and roadmap to effectively execute and communicate Sommalife’s mission to drive change in the shea industry.