Publication database

Conexsus supports small farmers associations and cooperatives that work under a income-generating model that preserves standing forest and other biomes. It focuses on three lines of action: business model, market access, and impact finance.

Fomento Social Banamex is the philanthropic arm of Citibanamex Mexico, and its goal is to reduce inequality in Mexico. It promotes capacity-building for social organizations to better meet the needs of marginalized communities living in poverty. Under this scheme and through its strategic partners, it has supported Unión Majomut, a cooperative of coffee farmers from Chiapas, so that it partakes in the entire value chain and earns a higher income for partner families.

Argidius Foundation supports small and mediumsized enterprises to improve the quality of life of the population living in poverty by promoting entrepreneurship ecosystems that involve strategic partners. To this end, Argidius has supported Thriive (in Guatemala), an organization that provides institutional strengthening and equipment acquisition services to small and medium-sized enterprises, under a “repay the community” model.

This case study gives advice to impact investors and investees on new and emerging methods to strengthen their impact measurement practices. The case tracks the WDI team as it pilot-tested a new impact measurement framework with three social enterprises in Nicaragua, Brazil and Peru. The case also provides recommendations to improve the impact measurement practices of investors, as well as the enterprises they support.

In Ecuadorian cities in the mid-1990s pharmacies were plentiful, but they catered to middle and high-income customers, neglecting the urban poor. Against this backdrop, Corporación Grupo Fybeca S.A. (GPF), a pharmaceutical retailer, saw an opportunity to complement its high-end pharmacy chain, Fybeca, with a down market chain so that customers could access quality medicines at economical prices. In 2000, the retail company launched SanaSana — its first pharmacy for low-income customers.

Salauno’s mission is to “eliminate needless blindness in Mexico” by providing affordable and accessible eye care services to patients of all income levels. In the first five years since its founding in 2011, the company has provided eye care to over 230,000 people and grown from one surgical centre in Mexico City into a network of ten mid-sized Diagnostic Centers with a staff of over 200, offering a range of services throughout the Mexico City Metropolitan Area and the broader Valley of Mexico.

This case study looks at SABMiller’s initiative “4e, Camino al Progreso” which aims to improve the quality of life of the “tenderos” (community references and opinion leaders) by offering business training and outreach to 'tender' communities. It describes the company's “4e methodology” strategy which has 4 stages and 3 components where FUNDES carries out the training for Tenderos in six countries; and it outlines the results and lessons learned from the programme.

Some banks have started to develop partnerships with commercial outlets, such as shops or pharmacies, who provide a set of financial services on behalf of the bank. This model has been particularly successful in Brazil, where the number of bank branches remained stable from 2002 to 2011, but the number of banking correspondents experienced a 19 per cent annual growth rate. Find out about Bradesco’s experience using its extensive network of almost 47,000 banking correspondents to sell personal accident and funeral insurance.