Shared Interest Society
Shared Interest Society is a UK ethical investment cooperative, founded 1990 in Newcastle, pooling capital from over 11,000 UK members into trade-finance loans for 204 fair-trade producer organisations across 45 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersNewcastle, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Shared Interest Society does
Shared Interest Society is a UK-based ethical investment cooperative founded in 1990 and headquartered in Newcastle upon Tyne, operating under the Co-operative & Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 (Registration Number 27093R). It runs a two-sided trade-finance model: over 11,000 UK-resident members open withdrawable share accounts (£100–£100,000) earning a published 0.25% interest rate, and the pooled capital is redeployed as trade-finance loans to 204 fair-trade producer organisations (cooperatives in coffee, cocoa, Brazil nuts, honey, fruit/vegetables, cashews, nuts and dried fruit) across 45 countries, alongside Buyer Credit facilities to ethical buyers such as Liberation Foods CIC and Cafédirect-supplying cooperatives.
Operating reach is delivered through four regional field offices in Nairobi (Kenya), Accra (Ghana), Lima (Peru), and San José (Costa Rica), supported by a lean staff of 11–50 employees plus approximately 70 UK volunteers. The technology footprint is intentionally lightweight: an online member portal (our.shared-interest.com) for statements and account management, an online share-account application flow (invest.shared-interest.com), and an investor enquiry pack process—rather than a proprietary lending platform or API surface. The charitable arm, Shared Interest Foundation (Company No. 4833073, Charity No. 1102375), runs parallel capacity-building projects (Bees for Business, soilless farming, climate resilience, women's economic empowerment).
Commercial mechanics rely on interest-rate spreads between producer/buyer loan rates and the 0.25% member payout, with members retaining the option to waive or donate interest to the Foundation. Headcount of 11–50 employees suggests a small operating cost base relative to the £51m deployed loan portfolio. The entity is unregistered by the FCA for deposit-taking, with shares explicitly not protected by FSCS, and operates outside Financial Ombudsman Service scope, reflecting its bespoke co-operative regulatory posture.
Shared Interest Society firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Shared Interest Society
- Legal name
- Shared Interest Society Limited
- Website
- https://shared-interest.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Shared Interest Society is a UK ethical investment cooperative, founded 1990 in Newcastle, pooling capital from over 11,000 UK members into trade-finance loans for 204 fair-trade producer organisations across 45 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Shared Interest Society industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fair Trade Finance
- NAICS
- Other Nondepository Credit Intermediation (52229), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259)
- SIC
- Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153), Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Credit / Direct Lending (FSAAAHAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Private Credit — Trade Finance & Receivables Finance (FSAHAJAK)
Keywords
Where Shared Interest Society is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Newcastle
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Shared Interest Society business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Interest on Share Accounts: Members invest in withdrawable shares (£1 = 1 share). The organization pools investments to make loans to fair trade organizations. Interest is calculated at published rate (currently 0.25%) on closing daily balance, credited to accounts on 31st March. Members can choose to receive interest, waive it, or donate to Shared Interest Foundation. Loans are repaid with interest and recycled for further lending.
- Loan Repayments: Loans made to farmer cooperatives and craftspeople for seeds, plants, materials, crops, equipment, or finished goods. Once crops or crafts are sold, organizations repay capital plus fair rate of interest. These funds are recycled and lent out again.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Standard Share Account for UK investors |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Shared Interest Society product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Shared Interest Society pools capital from over 11,000 UK ethical investors through withdrawable share accounts (minimum £100, maximum £100,000, paying 0.25% interest) and lends those funds as trade finance to fair trade farmer cooperatives, craftspeople, and ethical buyers across 45 developing countries. Loans support purchase of seeds, plants, materials, crops, equipment, and pre-finance of orders, with repayments recycled into new lending.
Product overview
Shared Interest Society operates as an ethical investment co-operative with three interconnected core offerings: the Share Account (investment product enabling UK residents to invest £100-£100,000 and become members), Producer Finance and Buyer Finance (trade finance lending to fair trade organisations), and Shared Interest Foundation (charitable support through training and capacity building). The organisation also provides a Member Portal for online account management and produces educational resources including The Little Book of Fairness for schools and the Feed Me Fairtrade video series. Fair trade commodities supported include coffee, cocoa, honey, Brazil nuts, cashews, and fresh produce.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Shared Interest Finance: Lending programme providing loans to farmers and handcraft producers to help them trade their way out of poverty
- Shared Interest Foundation
- Feed Me Fairtrade
- Little Book of Fairness
- Epic Book of Fairness
Products and services
- Share Account A withdrawable share account product for UK ethical investors. Minimum investment is £100 and maximum is £100,000 per member. Shares earn 0.25% interest, credited annually on 31 March for the year ended 30 September. Members gain one vote each in the cooperative regardless of investment amount, share the risk of any losses (capped at their investment), and may waive or donate their interest to Shared Interest Foundation.
- Producer Finance Trade finance loans provided to fair trade farmer cooperatives, producer associations, and craftspeople in developing countries. Funds are used for seeds, plants, materials, crops, equipment, or pre-finance of buyer orders. Loans are repaid with interest once crops or crafts are sold, and capital is recycled into new lending.
- Buyer Finance Short-term buyer credit facilities provided to fair trade buyers and importers so they can make timely payments to smallholder producer cooperatives and fulfil large seasonal orders from major retailers. Originated and managed via Shared Interest's regional field teams and UK head office.
Quantifiable outcome
- £51m invested in 204 fair trade organisations across 45 countries
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Shared Interest Society
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Shared Interest Society technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Shared Interest Society partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- PNCE-B (Platforme Nationale du Commerce Equitable Burkina Faso)corePartnership for Bees for Business project supporting women's beekeeping groups in Burkina Faso. Facilitated solar panel installation enabling honey processing after dark, community's first electricity access.
- CafédirectcoreLongstanding partnership since early 1990s with ethical retailer and one of first companies to sell Fairtrade certified coffee in 1994. Cafédirect sources Mayan Gold coffee from UES in Mexico. Shared Interest has provided over $1 million in finance to UES.
- Liberation Foods CICcoreLong-standing partnership since 2007 supporting Liberation's buyer credit needs. Liberation is the UK's only Fairtrade nut enterprise co-owned by farmers, purchasing directly from smallholder cooperatives. Shared Interest has provided facilities including USD 600k initial credit, increasing to USD 1.95m and later USD 1.5m for seasonal purchases and expansion.
- International Nut Co-operative (INC)coreINC holds 50% of Liberation Foods CIC shares, representing small-scale farmers and indigenous workers across South America, Central America, Asia and Africa. First farmer-owned ethical nut business worldwide.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Shared Interest Society competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Root Capital: US-based nonprofit impact lender that provides credit and capacity building to agricultural small and growing businesses, especially coffee and cocoa cooperatives in Latin America and Africa — directly overlaps Shared Interest's producer finance model.
- Oikocredit: Dutch ethical investment cooperative pooling member capital and lending to cooperatives, fair trade organisations and small businesses in developing countries — the closest structural and mission analogue to Shared Interest.
- responsAbility Investments: Swiss impact asset manager originating and financing trade finance, smallholder agriculture and financial inclusion deals in emerging markets — directly competes for fair trade and smallholder lending mandates.
Emerging players
- Opportunity International: Global microfinance network providing small loans, savings and training to entrepreneurs in developing countries — overlapping customer base of financially underserved small producers in emerging markets.
Broad incumbents
- Co-operative Bank (UK): UK mutual bank with an Ethical Policy and member-led governance model, providing savings products and lending to ethical businesses — comparable UK cooperative/mutual structure and ethical positioning.
- Rabo Foundation: Foundation linked to Rabobank providing trade finance, capacity building and smallholder farmer support across developing countries — comparable agricultural cooperative and smallholder lending mandate.
- BlueOrchard Finance: Swiss-based impact investment manager pioneering microfinance and small business finance, with adjacent emerging-markets lending strategies relevant to Shared Interest's trade finance book.
- Triodos Bank: European sustainable bank offering savings products, lending to organic, environmental and fair trade enterprises, and operating with explicit social and environmental mission — comparable UK/European ethical capital pool and lending focus.
Others
- Cafédirect Producers Foundation: Long-term fair trade coffee partner of Shared Interest (sourcing from UES, Mayan Gold) and producer-ownership foundation; a key counterparty and partner rather than a direct lender.
- Shared Interest Foundation: Wholly-owned charitable subsidiary of Shared Interest Society providing training, capacity building and climate resilience programmes to fair trade businesses — adjacent service layer attached to the same loan book.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Shared Interest Society social profiles
Digital presenceShared Interest Society compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Shared Interest Society financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Shared Interest Society leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Shared Interest Society subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Shared Interest Society funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Shared Interest Society M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Shared Interest Society
What does Shared Interest Society do?
Shared Interest Society pools capital from over 11,000 UK ethical investors through withdrawable share accounts (minimum £100, maximum £100,000, paying 0.25% interest) and lends those funds as trade finance to fair trade farmer cooperatives, craftspeople, and ethical buyers across 45 developing countries. Loans support purchase of seeds, plants, materials, crops, equipment, and pre-finance of orders, with repayments recycled into new lending.
Is Shared Interest Society a public or private company?
Shared Interest Society is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Shared Interest Society founded?
Shared Interest Society was founded in 1990. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Shared Interest Society based?
Shared Interest Society is headquartered in Newcastle, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Shared Interest Society make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Interest on Share Accounts are the primary driver. The others are loan Repayments.
Who are Shared Interest Society's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Root Capital, Oikocredit and responsAbility Investments. Opportunity International is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Co-operative Bank (UK), Rabo Foundation, BlueOrchard Finance and Triodos Bank. Others are Cafédirect Producers Foundation and Shared Interest Foundation.
Does Shared Interest Society have an API?
No public API is recorded for Shared Interest Society.
What industry is Shared Interest Society in?
Shared Interest Society's product category is Fair Trade Finance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAAHAG, Private Credit / Direct Lending, with a secondary code of FSAHAJAK, Private Credit — Trade Finance & Receivables Finance. Its NAICS code is 52229 and its SIC code is 6153.