The Trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the Charity's Memorandum and Articles of Association the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019).
Footprints Africa objectives are for the public benefit.
To promote sustainable development by:
The promotion of sustainable means of achieving economic development and regeneration;
The prevention of poverty and social exclusion (1); and
The protection of the environment and the prudent use of natural resources.
The advancement of education and promotion of research in subjects related to sustainable development (2), the prevention of poverty and the protection, enhancement and rehabilitation of the environment, provided that the useful results of such research are disseminated to the public at large.
The advancement of any other charitable purpose the Trustees from time-to-time think fit.
Mission and Activities
Footprints Africa’s mission is to promote sustainable, scalable, and inclusive approaches to the development of local African economies, demonstrating that business can be a powerful force for good at scale.
The Trustees have always adhered to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit, ensuring that all engagements, from program participants to grant recipients and contracted entities, were governed by clear contracts or Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). These agreements reinforced Footprints Africa’s commitment to its public benefit objectives.
Focus on Sustainable Development
Footprints identified that certain issues related to sustainable development, such as the environmental and community impact of industry, often arose from private sector activity. Despite the involvement of companies' supply chains and distribution channels in impoverished communities, lasting solutions to poverty were frequently not achieved.
In its efforts to address these issues sustainably, Footprints developed educational activities and research initiatives, including collaborative projects with Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). These collaborations aimed to encourage better environmental and community standards while supporting SMEs in adopting future-forward practices. The organisation’s work helped address challenges in sustainable growth, create meaningful employment opportunities, and utilize supply chains for inclusive and regenerative development.
Closure
As of December 31st, 2024, Footprints Africa has officially concluded its operations. Despite the closure, the organisation’s mission and impact on sustainable development remain a testament to its dedication to improving the lives of people in Africa.
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1 For the purpose of this clause “social exclusion” means being excluded from society, or parts of society, as a result of one or more of the following factors: unemployment; financial hardship; youth or old age; ill health (physical or mental) race; gender; poor educational or skills attainment or disability. Charity Commission (2001) Social Exclusion, The Promotion of Social Inclusion.
2 "Sustainable development" is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” World Commission on Environment and Development (1987) Sustainable Development, Our Common Future.
Impact on Ghana and Africa
At its core, Footprints Africa’s work focused on improving the lives of individuals in Ghana and across the African continent, particularly for socially excluded groups. Through its initiatives, Footprints aimed to create sustainable, quality jobs and contribute to the continent's inclusive and regenerative development.
Poverty Alleviation
The informal sector accounts for an estimated 86% of jobs in Africa, yet workers in this sector often face significant vulnerabilities. Footprints Africa aimed to improve the livelihoods, security, and income of Informal Workers by providing targeted programming and resources.
Goal: To work with 100 SMEs and 1,000 informal workers to reduce vulnerability and secure livelihoods.
Target Milestones (by 2025) | Overall (2022-2024) |
100 SMEs implementing policies to support 800 informal workers, providing contracts & safety equipment |
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Advocacy - host annual workshop to engage key decision-makers to influence the lives of informal workers | 7 workshops/ events |
Environment
Businesses are key contributors to environmental degradation, often sharing resources with local communities. Footprints Africa aimed to promote regenerative practices among Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), focusing on waste reduction and the adoption of circular business models to drive sustainable growth.
Goal: to support 100 circular businesses in Africa to measure and improve their environmental impact and provide them with support to grow sustainably.
Target Milestones (by 2025) | Overall (2022-2024) |
Circularity Mapping | |
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Circular Metrics | |
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Design Tools & Training | |
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Women’s Empowerment
Women’s empowerment is essential to reducing poverty in Africa, as it allows women to make impactful economic, personal, and social choices. Empowering women benefits not only the women themselves but also their families and communities. Footprints Africa aimed to provide targeted programs to help women become driving forces of change in their communities.
Goal: By 2025, work with 900+ females (and female-led businesses) working in the informal sector to reduce vulnerability and secure livelihoods.
Target Milestones (by 2025) | Overall (2022-2024) |
900+ women trained | 236 women trained |
150 SMEs implement policies to support females in their value chain | 15 SMEs |
20 grants awarded to female-owned businesses | 13 grants awarded |
Youth
By 2050, Africa’s youth population is projected to reach one billion, the largest globally. In Ghana, 12% of youth are unemployed, and 50% are underemployed. As sustainable development requires new skills and perspectives, Footprints Africa aimed to equip young people with essential professional skills, practical work experience, and networking opportunities to foster development and build a passionate, diverse group committed to social and environmental change.
Goal: To support graduates to enter the workplace with industry-relevant skills and knowledge. Through Fellowships, Conferences, Workshops and Research Assignments, we will work with 500 young people by 2025.
Target Milestones (by 2025) | Overall (2022-2024) |
Host 50 Fellows | 11 Fellows |
8 University Research Challenges cohorts | 2 cohorts reaching 54 participants |
Leadership
Footprints Africa is committed to working with and developing local experts, while supporting the next generation of African changemakers. The organisation focused on strengthening local leadership to foster sustainable growth and prosperity.
Goal: Through leadership training and hands on experience, Footprints will empower +100 individuals across our team, local experts, and SMEs in Africa. Our goal is that local challenges are addressed by local leaders.
Target Milestones (by 2025) | Overall (2022-2024) |
4,000 hours of professional development for staff | 729 hours |
20 CEOs receive Leadership training | 15 CEOs trained |
Develop local sustainability practitioners | 27 trained |
Additional activities
Grant-making Policy
Footprints Africa supported initiatives that enhanced the impact of SMEs on their communities, employees, environment, and customers. Grants were governed by the charity's policies, which outlined terms for proposals, grant management, and requests for modifications, with a focus on grantees' fiduciary responsibilities, reporting, and record-keeping.
During 2024, there were a total of 16 grants awarded to participants in our programmes for a total of £32,338.
Sustainable Business Ventures
In 2024, in addition to supporting existing businesses, Footprints ran a programme to pilot 4 different sustainable business models. These models had to target positive environmental and community impact, whilst adopting circular economy practices.
In addition to positive impact, the projects served as professional development opportunities for the team, who put themselves in the shoes of the entrepreneurs Footprints’ supports by becoming entrepreneurs. The projects were:
1. Mango Seed Oil: This project aimed at creating nutrient-rich cosmetic oil from waste mango seeds generated by the fruit processing industry. It involved diverting mango waste from landfills and producing a prototype oil for sale.
2. Natural Food Containers: The project used sugarcane bagasse as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic food containers, promoting sustainability through renewable materials and reducing waste. 22,000 samples sourced, tested and marketed for sale to restaurants around Accra.
3. Textile Waste Collection Booth: This initiative encouraged textile recycling and consumer behaviour change with the aim to divert 1,600 articles of textile waste from landfills to be upcycled into new garments or downcycled into upholstery stuffing for furniture.
4. ClimAP (Carbon Footprint Consultancy): This project sought to provide expert consulting to help companies reduce and mitigate emissions through collaborating with their value chains (in-setting).
Highlights of Footprints Africa achievements for 2024 are as follows:
Conducted one cohort of our B Corp Lite programme in Ghana, assisting 11 organisations to enhance their social and environmental performance via trainings on topics such as Environmental Management Systems, Business Requirements, Employee Engagement, Customer Service, Business Models and Theory of Change.
Published a report on the electronics waste compensations “The Electronics Afterlife – is e-waste compensation the stepping stone for circular economy in Africa.
Graduated two youth and enrolled two new youths into our 1-year fellowship programme, providing them with invaluable opportunities for personal and professional development in social and environmental impact to augment their employability.
Organised one internal event and participated in seven external events, actively engaging stakeholders on topics surrounding circular economy and impact measurement reaching a total of 300+ participants.
Four business venture building projects were piloted by the team to test potential revenue sources for the organisation.
Featured an article on Circular Economy in Africa in Germany’s new agency Rundbrief
Disbursed GHS 59,409 in micro grants to small businesses - driving social and environmental impact in Ghana.
Established partnerships with experts from Ghanaian institutions including; the Food and Drug Authority, Ghana Enterprise Authority, Ghana Export Promotion Authority, Ghana Standards Authority, Social Security and National Insurance Trust, and Ghana Revenue Authority. Together, we co-facilitated workshops on Business Compliance for 76 local SMEs.
Charity’s Reserve Policy
To mitigate funding uncertainties, Footprints Africa aimed to maintain reserves equivalent to six months of staff and rent expenses, plus £20,000, totalling £120,000. As of December 31st, 2024, Footprints Africa officially closed with free reserves amounting to £108,919.
Funding sources
Footprints received total income of more than £68,000 from sources such as The Blackbaud Giving Fund (USA), Closing the Loop (the Netherlands), The OR Foundation (USA), Deutscher Naturschutzring (DNR), INKOTA (Germany), Green Friends Ghana (Ghana), and private individuals.
As of December 31st, 2024, Footprints Africa had net current assets of £108,919.
Details of any funds materially in deficit
Footprints Africa does not have any funds materially in deficit.
Risk Analysis and Going Concern Considerations
Footprints Africa’s management team provided quarterly risk analyses to the Trustees, outlining potential risks and suggesting mitigation strategies. The principal risk in 2024 was the continued challenge of securing a major donor or sustainable funding source for the organisation.
Principal Risk and Funding Challenges in 2024
Footprints Africa's relationship with its last major donor, First State Investments (UK), ended in 2023. Despite ongoing efforts in 2023 and 2024, the organization was unable to secure a sufficient replacement donor to sustain operations.
In response, Footprints engaged a fundraising consultant in 2024 to refine its donor outreach and enhance its fundraising strategy. Despite these efforts, the Board of Trustees acknowledged that securing adequate funding was essential for the organisation's continued operations. Unfortunately, this goal was not realized
Given the inability to secure sustainable funding in 2024, and after careful consideration, the decision was made to formally conclude the organisation’s operations at the end of the year.
Despite the charity's closure, the work initiated by Footprints will continue through Impact Footprints Africa, which will seek new and diverse funding partners to sustain its mission moving forward.
Following settlement of any liabilities, and in accordance with the Articles of Association, assets will be transferred to an entity fulfilling Footprints objects. Trustees have conducted due diligence and found Impact Footprints Africa to fulfil these objects. Impact Footprints Africa is an entity registered in Ghana, established by former employees of Footprints Africa to continue the mission of the organisation.
Footprints Africa was constituted as a Company Limited by Guarantee and operated under its Memorandum and Articles of Association, which served as its governing documents.
Throughout its existence, the Trustees of Footprints Africa held responsibility for overseeing the charity’s operations and management, delegating day-to-day responsibilities to the CEO. The Trustees generously volunteered their time, receiving no remuneration or financial benefits for their service.
The Trustees met on a quarterly basis to provide strategic direction, make key decisions regarding the organisation's activities, and ensure effective fundraising. To facilitate the smooth running of the charity, a Finance Committee was established, also meeting quarterly, to review and monitor the organisation’s financial health.
In November 2024, founding Trustee Ruka Sanusi stepped down from the Board. The Board and team are deeply grateful for the wisdom imparted in the more than 2 terms she served.
As of December 31, 2024, Footprints Africa has formally concluded its operations. The Trustees remain committed to ensuring a smooth transition during the closure process and finalizing all outstanding matters.
The Trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
The Trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Footprints Africa Limited (the Charity) for the year ended 31 December 2024.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the Charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the Charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Footprints Africa Limited is a charitable company limited by guarantee incorporated in the United Kingdom and registered in England and Wales. The registered office is International House, Holborn Viaduct London, EC1A 2BN.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the Charities SORP "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019). The Charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The Charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the Charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the charity has ceased trading. On 1 January 2025 the assets, liabilities and trade of the charity was transferred to a new entity at book value which the trustees consider represents fair value. As such, the financial statements have not been prepared on a going concern basis. The closing balance sheet has been prepared to show the position immediately prior to the transfer on 1 January 2025. The balance sheet immediately after the transfer would show its entire £109,215 of net assets were donated to the new entity on that day.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Legacies are recognised on receipt or otherwise if the Charity has been notified of an impending distribution, the amount is known, and receipt is expected. If the amount is not known, the legacy is treated as a contingent asset.
Grants are included in the Statement of financial activities on a receivable basis. The balance of income received for specific purposes but not expended during the period is shown in the relevant funds on the Balance sheet. Where income is received in advance of entitlement of receipt, its recognition is deferred and included in creditors as deferred income. Where entitlement occurs before income is received, the income is accrued.
Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP any general volunteer time is not recognised.
On receipt, donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
Resource expended, support and governance costs are recognised on an accruals basis in the period in which the goods are delivered or the services provided.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.
At each reporting end date, the Charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.
Transactions in currencies other than pounds sterling are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing at the dates of the transactions. At each reporting end date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing on the reporting end date. Gains and losses arising on translation in the period are included in profit or loss.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The remuneration of key management personnel was as follows:
The remuneration of the key management personnel is included within consultancy costs.
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
The Charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the Charity in an independently administered fund.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
Circular economy fund
The trustees have designated these funds to advancing the transition to circular economy in Africa.
The charity ceased operating on 31 December 2024. On 1 January 2025 the assets, liabilities and trade of the charity was transferred to a new entity at book value which the trustees consider represents fair value. The closing balance sheet has been prepared to show the position immediately prior to the transfer on 1 January 2025. The balance sheet immediately after the transfer would show its entire £109,215 of net assets were donated to the new entity on that day.
There were no disclosable related party transactions during 2024 or 2023.