AgDevCo Limited is an impact investor and project developer with a mission to build successful African agri-businesses through long-term investment and support to deliver positive impact at scale. This mission brings with it considerable responsibility to funders (including in particular Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office of the United Kingdom, British International Investment (“BII”) and the Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries (“Norfund”)), staff, consultants, investees and their workers, and the wider groups AgDevCo interacts with.
AgDevCo is also committed under its arrangements with BII and Norfund to comply with BII’s Code of Responsible Investing.
Acting with professional and personal integrity at all times:
This Code of Conduct applies to all AgDevCo Representatives, being:
AgDevCo is committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations. AgDevCo Representatives are expected to observe the highest standards of business integrity in their dealings with each other and third parties, and to act fairly and honestly, with personal and professional integrity in a manner befitting AgDevCo’s mission and source of funding and be accountable for their actions.
AgDevCo has a zero-tolerance policy regarding bribery and corruption, fraud, money laundering and tax evasion.
Download our Business Integrity Policy
AgDevCo Representatives must avoid conflicts of interest by ensuring their decisions, transactions and/or relationships do not place personal interests ahead of those of their business, investees and colleagues. Any ethical, financial, legal or other conflicts of interest should be disclosed.
Download our Conflicts of Interest Policy
All AgDevCo’s investee businesses are subject to a comprehensive ESG screening which includes the requirements of our funders. As a condition of our investment. All investees are required to adopt AgDevCo’s Responsible Business Principles and an environmental and social action plan (ESAP) which supports a journey toward alignment with our responsible investment and climate strategy requirements.
AgDevCo will undertake periodic monitoring of investee businesses and require annual reporting which includes progress against ESAPs and key environmental and social indicators including greenhouse gas emissions and their reduction.
AgDevCo’s gender policy also incorporates gender considerations as an integral part of the ESG programme, with an aim to improve gender equality and women’s economic empowerment amongst AgDevCo’s investees.
AgDevCo’s climate strategy commits us to achieving net zero emissions across portfolio operations by 2032, to annual reporting on the implementation of our strategy including carbon accounting in line with international good practice and TCFD requirements and to assess the climate change risks and opportunities of our investments.
Download our Responsible Business Principles
AgDevCo is committed to the health and safety and welfare of all AgDevCo Representatives and those affected by AgDevCo’s work.
All AgDevCo Representatives are expected to avoid all forms of discrimination and harassment. Reports of any forms of discrimination or harassment shall be treated very seriously.
AgDevCo is committed to complying with privacy and data protection laws in the jurisdictions in which it operates and will respect people’s privacy, confidentiality of information and the cultural contexts in which it operates.
Download our Investee Privacy Notice here.
Use good judgement. Take a moment to ask yourself, am I doing the right thing and would I and AgDevCo be comfortable if my actions were publicised (to colleagues, our funders, friends and family)? If you are unsure, ask for guidance.
AgDevCo has a zero-tolerance policy for all illegal activities (including but not limited to bribery and corruption, fraud, money laundering and tax evasion (or facilitation of tax evasion)) and for any forms of sexual, physical or psychological harassment, abuse or exploitation or breaches of this code of conduct. Anyone who has cause for concern regarding the propriety or legality of any action should report these either to a line or senior manager (in the case of AgDevCo Representatives) or otherwise in accordance with AgDevCo’s whistleblowing policy, with the assurance that those who report unlawful or inappropriate behaviour in good faith will be protected from retaliation. At the same time, anyone who may become the subject of a complaint will be treated fairly and with respect whilst the outcome of the complaint is being determined.
Information on reporting issues falling outside the scope of the whistleblowing policy is provided here.