The future of business is social Sophi Tranchell MBE Lewisham Chamber of Commerce, June 2017

Social Enterprise & B Company Business with a social mission The heart of what we do It is gives us our reason to be It makes us good at what we do It gives us our competitive edge It defines where the money goes A growing community of companies that is committed to using business as a force for good.

Divine Chocolate is a unique independent company The only mainstream chocolate company in the world that is 100% Fairtrade and farmer-owned Award-winning for great tasting chocolate and pioneering Fairtrade, social enterprise & sustainability Everything we do is driven by our social mission: to empower producers & chocolate lovers Mavis and Mercy of Kuapa Kokoo, a co-operative of over 80,000 cocoa farmers, who own 44% of Divine Chocolate The awards along the bottom are what we’ve won in the last 3 years Working with over 90,000 farmers to source fine quality Fairtrade ingredients

What makes Divine quite different is that it has an amazing story at its heart – the story of cocoa farmers who voted to start their own chocolate company The amazing story of the cocoa farmers who voted to start their own chocolate company

Kuapa Kokoo the good cocoa farmer A cooperative of Ghanaian Cocoa Farmers Established in 1993 in response to liberalisation of the market Set up on Fairtrade principles and democratically organised Started with 2,000 members in 22 village societies Now over 80,000 members in 1,257 village societies In 1997 Kuapa Kokoo farmers vote to set up their own chocolate company In 1998, Divine Chocolate launched – the first mainstream Fairtrade chocolate company The story starts in Ghana in 1993 when the economy there was semi-liberalised and people could set up their own cocoa buying companies for the first time. A group of cocoa farmers got together and set up their own cocoa buying association – with the farmers’ welfare at its heart. It was called Kuapa Kokoo – or ‘good cocoa farmers’ in Twi.

Divine Mission To grow a successful global farmer-owned chocolate company using the amazing power of chocolate to delight and engage, and bring people together to create dignified trading relations, thereby empowering producers and consumers

What does owning Divine mean for Kuapa Kokoo farmers? 4 income streams from Divine 2% of Divine turnover to Producer Support & Development This more than doubles the impact of Fairtrade Over £2m contributed to date Guaranteed minimum Fairtrade price for their cocoa $2000/tonne Fairtrade social premium invested in their communities $200/tonne 44% of Divine profits Profit dividend since 2007 2 members on the board Knowledge of the industry Power, including financing Within the chocolate industry, Divine has a very different and unique business model – which ensures money and decisions are in the hands of the many, not of the few…..

How farmers invest the Fairtrade premium Fairtrade ensures a guaranteed minimum price – and in addition a social premium which the farmers themselves decide how to invest. Their priorities are community improving projects such as sinking drinking water bores holes

How farmers invest the Fairtrade premium Building and refurbishing schools, and incentivising teachers – to ensure their children get the best educational start in life

How farmers invest the Fairtrade premium Fairtrade also encourages equal opportunities for women – delivering training, materials and credit loans giving them a number of income-generating skills allowing them to contribute to the family income and bring in money in between harvests when there is no cocoa to sell. These include making soap (from the cocoa husks), making palm oil, designing batik and tie-dye fabrics Women are also encouraged to take leading roles in their communities

Fairtrade and beyond The only Fairtrade chocolate company owned by cocoa farmers Fairtrade delivers reliable income and funds to invest in better living and working standards Company ownership delivers profits, knowledge and power So Divine was established as a Fairtrade company co-owned by a cooperative of 45000 farmers built on Fairtrade principles The only Fairtrade chocolate company owned by cocoa farmers For those farmers, Fairtrade delivers…. Over and above that, company ownership delivers….

What Divine delivers: PROFIT

What Divine delivers: KNOWLEDGE

What Divine delivers: POWER

Over £2m contributed to Producer Support & Development Women’s literacy New partnership with the Ghanaian government’s Non-formal Education Department Pilot basic literacy and numeracy classes Response to research findings that low levels of literacy and numeracy amongst Kuapa’s female membership Aims to encourage women to take roles of responsibility Radio programmes Divine has now supported four series of eight one hour radio programmes. ‘Kuapa Mmere’ is literally ‘Kuapa Hour’ in the local language Broadcast in Western North, Western South, Brong Ahafo and Eastern regions, reaching an estimated 45,000 members A way of communicating and engaging with members who live in remote locations Labour Rights Project Developing a greater understanding of complexity of tenancy issue and willingness to monitor tenancy amongst members Completed to date: Extensive data on types of farm labour Tenancy contract template developed & in use Labour committees established in 23 villages Member registration and database adapted

What’s next? We’re all part of something global There are great opportunity for business, but needs to be approached responsibly How is your business making money? Who is getting the money? How is your business creating a positive legacy? We are all part of something global Emerging markets – great opportunity – but needs to be approached responsibly. In the food industry we all need to be conscious that now more people dangerously overweight (1.5bn) than dangerously underweight (925m) You need to ask these fundamental questions…. How is your business making money? Who is getting the money? How is your business creating a positive legacy?

Make it happen! Go forth and create the new businesses of the 21st century! Take your values into work with you It’s not that radical to propose socially-driven business (Cadbury’s started like that a century ago) Imagine it – and make it happen! 17

Thank you!