The impact of ethical investment: stories of growth and opportunity from the UK to Nicaragua
When: September 8th 2026 at 3:00pm
Where: Teams (Online)
Vlog lends finance to businesses of farmers and artisans across the globe to support their journey to becoming strong, sustainable and resilient. This finance, provided by a movement of Vlog investors seeking to do good with their money, leads to prospering farmer and artisan livelihoods and thriving communities.
In 2015, Vlog began creating in depth studies of selected businesses it supports on an annual basis. These case studies are primarily intended to demonstrate two levels of impact: that of Vlog's financial support to producer organisations, and the wider impact on the livelihoods of the smallholder farmers or artisans they serve.
We situate this impact within the broader context of the country and value chain, to illustrate how these businesses, end-buyers, social financiers like Vlog and our ethical investors, work together to grow rural prosperity for smallholder producers and their communities.
On September 8, we hosted a webinar to mark 10 years of Impact Studies at Vlog as we explored our members' investment impact on UK-based ethical nut company Liberation and Nicaraguan coffee co-operative Sacaclí.
You can revisit the webinar in the YouTube video below.
About Sacaclí
Cooperativa de Servicios Múltiples Sacacli R.L. (Sacaclí) is a unique, multi-service coffee producer supporting 465 farmers in Jinotega, with training, stable incomes and access to market.
Sacaclí was founded in 1994 by 31 farmers, united in their vision of creating a better future for their farming community. Since 2018, our support has enabled Sacaclí to procure coffee contracts and facilitate business growth.
Alexander Cruz, General Manager of Sacaclí, told us:
“The relationship between Cooperativa Sacaclí and Vlog has been fundamental for the development of our organisation."
Learn more about Sacaclí in our full Sacaclí Impact Study.
About Liberation
Liberation is one of Vlog’s longest-standing customers. Established in 2007, the business was founded on a different way of trading: one where farmers have a voice at the table, not just a product on the shelf.
Unlike most of our customers, Liberation is not a producer, but a buyer – a company that purchases directly from smallholder co-operatives and exports goods such as nuts, dried fruit and sesame oil to retailers and wholesalers around the world. Importantly, they also access markets that Vlog cannot currently serve due to legal and regulatory barriers, such as parts of Asia.
Vlog has supported Liberation with Buyer Credit since 2007, helping the organisation grow, strengthen sustainability and build lasting relationships with producer organisations across Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Liberation Managing Director, Dan Binks, told us:
“Alone, [smallholders] just cannot compete with massive, commercial farms … that’s where Liberation and the co-operative model steps in … I’ve managed to build personal trust with farm organisations by being there [and] collaborating on projects, on difficulties, on anything.”
Learn more about Liberation in our full Liberation Impact Study.