THE BUSINESS OF TRANSPARENCY

by James Niven, Triodos Bank

The venture capital arm of sustainable banking specialists, Triodos, have invested in a business providing companies with a user friendly tool to
develop comprehensive information about their entire supply chain. Historic Futures supports the development of fair trade and organic businesses by
providing an online tracking system to back up their ethical claims, as well as encouraging mainstream brands to make their supply chains more
transparent.

MyString tracks where all a products‚ components come from, and can be used by anyone with internet access. Triodos Bank say the £350,000 investment will help the Cheltenham-based company to grow, helping more retailers and brands to trace the journey their products go on before they reach the consumer. The money is part of a £575,000 funding round which includes follow-on investment from Oxford Technology 4 VCT Plc, Historic Future‚s first institutional investors.

“This kind of meaningful transparency is becoming less of a nice-to-have‚ and more of a commercial necessity”, said Esther Verburg from Made By, today. “The days of promising, but not substantiating, ethical claims are over”. Brands in the sustainable fashion consortium use the myString system to trace the components of their supply chains. Customers can check where the cotton in their clothes was grown, the fabric spun and the item manufactured. All they need to do is type a code on each garment into the MadeBy website, which is powered by Historic Futures technology.

“From Marks & Spencer to Made By, Historic Futures allows companies to efficiently organise data for themselves and demonstrate it clearly to others, proving that their products are as credible as their claims”, says Whitni Thomas, Investment Manager at Triodos Bank. As well as its investment, specialists from Triodos will work closely with Historic Futures‚ senior management providing important support as the company grows.

“Working together allows us to reinforce the company‚s values-driven agenda and provide them with meaningful commercial support”, says Thomas. The investment is Triodos‚ venture capital arm’s third of the year, and follows deals with natural health company, Barefoot Botanicals, and tidal energy business, Marine Current Turbines.

As sales of sustainable products, like fair trade and organic food have grown into billion pound industries, the need to prove a product‚s ethicalness‚ has become ever more pressing, says Historic Futures‚ founder,

Tim Wilson. “We allow customers, retailers and brands to trace products which go through often complex processes, in a simple, accessible way. They can track and record all stages of production in real time. And, if they choose to, share this information with consumers. Triodos Bank‚s investment gives us a crucial injection of new capital, and welcome additional expertise. We’ll use the money to employ more people to meet growing demand for what we do”.

Notes for Editors:
To arrange interviews or source supporting photography, please call James Niven at Triodos Bank on 0117 980 9721, or 07887 641 960 or email james.niven@triodos.co.uk.

Triodos Bank only finances enterprises which create social, environmental or cultural added value. Key sectors include organic food and farming, renewable energy, social housing, and fair trade. Transparency is a core value: customers are informed about the bank‚s lending and can target their savings to particular areas of investment. A range of personal savings accounts is offered, and full banking services are available for businesses and charities. Triodos Bank is an independent bank founded in the Netherlands in 1980. Its principles and independence are protected through a special shareholding trust. The UK office opened in 1995 and is based in Bristol. Triodos Bank in the UK has arranged the venture capital investment in Historic Futures on behalf of Triodos Innovation Fund.

Oxford Technology 4 VCT (www.oxfordtechnology.com) invests in early stage technology companies. The Oxford Technology series of Venture Capital Trusts have a portfolio of over 55 early stage science and engineering companies.

Joanna Johnston
Investment Banking
Direct: 0117 980 9635
Mobile:07753 678 582


Eradicate poverty Universal education Empower women Reduce mortality Improve health Combat diseases Ensure sustainability Global partnership	You are in: THE BUSINESS OF TRANSPARENCY THE BUSINESS OF TRANSPARENCY by James Niven, Triodos Bank The venture capital arm of sustainable banking specialists, Triodos, have invested in a business providing companies with a user friendly tool to develop comprehensive information about their entire supply chain. Historic Futures supports the development of fair trade and organic businesses by providing an online tracking system to back up their ethical claims, as well as encouraging mainstream brands to make their supply chains more transparent. MyString tracks where all a products‚ components come from, and can be used by anyone with internet access. Triodos Bank say the £350,000 investment will help the Cheltenham-based company to grow, helping more retailers and brands to trace the journey their products go on before they reach the consumer. The money is part of a £575,000 funding round which includes follow-on investment from Oxford Technology 4 VCT Plc, Historic Future‚s first institutional investors. “This kind of meaningful transparency is becoming less of a nice-to-have‚ and more of a commercial necessity”, said Esther Verburg from Made By, today. “The days of promising, but not substantiating, ethical claims are over”. Brands in the sustainable fashion consortium use the myString system to trace the components of their supply chains. Customers can check where the cotton in their clothes was grown, the fabric spun and the item manufactured. All they need to do is type a code on each garment into the MadeBy website, which is powered by Historic Futures technology. “From Marks & Spencer to Made By, Historic Futures allows companies to efficiently organise data for themselves and demonstrate it clearly to others, proving that their products are as credible as their claims”, says Whitni Thomas, Investment Manager at Triodos Bank. As well as its investment, specialists from Triodos will work closely with Historic Futures‚ senior management providing important support as the company grows. “Working together allows us to reinforce the company‚s values-driven agenda and provide them with meaningful commercial support”, says Thomas. The investment is Triodos‚ venture capital arm’s third of the year, and follows deals with natural health company, Barefoot Botanicals, and tidal energy business, Marine Current Turbines. As sales of sustainable products, like fair trade and organic food have grown into billion pound industries, the need to prove a product‚s ethicalness‚ has become ever more pressing, says Historic Futures‚ founder, Tim Wilson. “We allow customers, retailers and brands to trace products which go through often complex processes, in a simple, accessible way. They can track and record all stages of production in real time. And, if they choose to, share this information with consumers. Triodos Bank‚s investment gives us a crucial injection of new capital, and welcome additional expertise. We’ll use the money to employ more people to meet growing demand for what we do”. Notes for Editors: To arrange interviews or source supporting photography, please call James Niven at Triodos Bank on 0117 980 9721, or 07887 641 960 or email james.niven@triodos.co.uk. Triodos Bank only finances enterprises which create social, environmental or cultural added value. Key sectors include organic food and farming, renewable energy, social housing, and fair trade. Transparency is a core value: customers are informed about the bank‚s lending and can target their savings to particular areas of investment. A range of personal savings accounts is offered, and full banking services are available for businesses and charities. Triodos Bank is an independent bank founded in the Netherlands in 1980. Its principles and independence are protected through a special shareholding trust. The UK office opened in 1995 and is based in Bristol. Triodos Bank in the UK has arranged the venture capital investment in Historic Futures on behalf of Triodos Innovation Fund. Oxford Technology 4 VCT (www.oxfordtechnology.com) invests in early stage technology companies. The Oxford Technology series of Venture Capital Trusts have a portfolio of over 55 early stage science and engineering companies. Joanna Johnston Investment Banking Direct: 0117 980 9635 Mobile:07753 678 582	Contribute to our success Lara Morgan, Pacific Direct, explains LYFE Stories Fair Trade Competitive Collaboration Links Glossary
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