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The Divine Difference

DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE FIGHTING EXPLOITATION


FROM AWARD-WINNING CHOCOLATE TO AN INNOVATIVE BUSINESS MODEL THAT CHAMPIONS FARMERS, WE’RE COMMITTED TO DOING BUSINESS DIFFERENTLY

CO-OWNERSHIP

An innovative business model

Divine Chocolate is a global social enterprise driven by a mission. Our mission is to help end exploitation in the cocoa industry, creating a world where farmers thrive and prosper.

Our business model reflects the belief that producers should earn a share of the profits they help to create. That’s why Kuapa Kokoo Farmers’ Union, a co-operative of over 100,000 cocoa farmers in Ghana, who grow the finest quality cocoa for our everyday and seasonal collections, co-own Divine Chocolate. Their stake in Divine Chocolate is a first in the Fairtrade world.

What is a social enterprise?

A social enterprise is all about combining business with social justice, and using business and enterprise as a force for good and a way of making change. Definition by Social Enterprise UK

What makes a social enterprise a different kind of business?
A social enterprise is a different kind of business because it is not driven only by profits, but by a social mission. To be driven by a social mission means a company wants to make a positive impact on a community, particular individuals, or on the world at large.
What impact does our business model have on farmers lives?
As a co-owner, the farmers receive a share of the distributable profits from the sale of the chocolate. This means that smallholder farming families are not only sustainably remunerated as suppliers, they are also empowered to invest in their own families, farms and communities.
How are farmers voices included in the decision-making?
As a shareholder, two representatives from Kuapa Kokoo are Directors on the Divine Chocolate Board. This means that Kuapa Kokoo can have meaningful input into decisions about how Divine is produced and sold.

A difference you can taste

Quality matters

Cocoa quality is determined from the moment it starts growing on the tree, and it is affected by each stage of the bean-to-bar journey. For this reason, cocoa farmers are well-trained to carry out each stage (from planting through harvesting to fermenting and drying) as carefully as possible.

Kuapa Kokoo’s motto is Pa Pa Paa – which means “Best of the best” in the Ghanaian language of Twi. This motto reflects the members’ pride in the high quality cocoa they produce, a result of the time and care they put in to growing the cocoa

Explore Journey

Third party verification

SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS

Divine strongly advocates for independent third party verification such as Fairtrade, B Corp, and Organic Certification. Externally audited certifications like these provide consumers with the confidence in the claims we make.

Fairtrade

Fairtrade is an independent, third party certification organization that works in partnership with more than 1.5 million producers in developing countries.

Its mission is to secure decent working conditions, fair prices, and better terms of trade. In this way, producers are empowered to improve their social, environmental and economic sustainability

What does Fairtrade aim to achieve?
Fairtrade’s vision is a world in which all producers can enjoy secure and sustainable livelihoods, fulfill their potential, and decide on their future. www.fairtradeamerica.org/
Are all Divine products Fairtrade Certified?

Each and every one of our products carries the FAIRTRADE Mark on our packaging. Products carrying the Mark meet the internationally-agreed Fairtrade Standards.

Divine Chocolate is licensed by Fairtrade Foundation, the independent, non-profit, local marketing organization for Fairtrade International, working with businesses in the US who buy and sell Fairtrade products, and license the use of the FAIRTRADE Mark.

The Fairtrade Certified ingredients in Divine Chocolate products include:

  • Fairtrade cocoa (in all products) from Ghana
  • Fairtrade sugar (in all products) from Malawi
  • Fairtrade vanilla (in most products) from Madagascar
  • Fairtrade almonds (Dark Chocolate with Almonds) from Pakistan

B Corporation

Divine Chocolate is proud to be a Certified B Corporation®. B Corporations are leaders of the global movement of people using business as a force for good. Individually, B Corps meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability, and aspire to use the power of markets to solve social and environmental problems.

View our B Impact Score
View our B Impact

Divine is audited and certified as a B Corporation (B Corp) - joining the growing movement of thousands of companies worldwide who are signed up to use business as a force for good. To certify as a B Corp, a company must achieve a minimum verified score of 80 points on the B Impact Assessment. Divine Chocolate achieved a rating of 127.

B Lab also highlights top-performing Certified B Corps on the annual Best for the World lists; in 2018 Divine Chocolate was honoured to be recognized in the ‘Best for Community’ Impact Area.

View our B Impact Score

What does it mean for a company to become a Certified B Corp?
B Corp Certification doesn’t just evaluate a product or service; it assesses the overall positive impact of the company that stands behind it. Our B Corp Certification is an important third-party validation of our business practices, reflecting not only our total commitment to Fairtrade and co-operative values, but also demonstrating that these values are embedded within our company. These practices include the way we do business and our impact on the environment, our workers, and the communities where we operate. It’s our assurance that you can feel as confident about the way we run our business as you do about the benefits our products deliver to farmers around the globe.
How do B Corporations make a difference in the world?
Certified B Corporations like Divine Chocolate are leading a global movement to redefine success in business, and we are distinguishing ourselves in a saturated marketplace by offering a positive vision of a better way to do business. Through the power of our collective voice, one day all companies will compete to be best for the world, and society will enjoy a more shared and durable prosperity for all.

Organic

Organic sales are growing, and we have responded to chocolate lovers who say they actively look for organic ingredients and cocoa content. We have sourced excellent organic and Fairtrade cocoa from São Tomé for our Divine Organic range of Dark Chocolate bars.

What does it mean for a product to be certified organic?

In the UK, the range has been certified organic by the Soil Association Certification Limited, the UK’s largest organic certification body.

Organic farming means higher levels of animal welfare, lower levels of pesticides, no manufactured herbicides or artificial fertilisers and more environmentally sustainable management of the land and natural environment, which means more wildlife.

The Soil Association wants to ensure the highest possible standards of animal welfare, environmental and wildlife protection, so they have their own higher – or stricter – standards in key areas compared to EU organic regulation.

For a food product to be labelled as organic, every organization working up and down its supply chain – from farmers, to packers, to food processors, and organic retailers – have to meet organic standards and prove it to an organic certification body. The wealth of rigorous standards employed by the Soil Association are all designed to ensure that organic food is food you can trust.

Fairtrade’s vision is a world in which all producers can enjoy secure and sustainable livelihoods, fulfill their potential, and decide on their future.
Delivering benefits to farmers

CO-Ownership and Fairtrade

The chocolate industry is valued at approximately $100 billion worldwide. But, the cocoa farmers who grow the essential ingredient that makes chocolate chocolate typically only earn about $1 per day.

At Divine, we’re challenging the terms of world trade and advocating that farmers should be sustainably remunerated as suppliers, and have a voice and say in their future. As such, farmers who supply cocoa to Divine benefit in a number of ways, including:

BOARD REPRESENTATION
Kuapa Kokoo has a 40% representation on the Divine board team so they have an influence and say in how the company is run.
Dividends from Co-ownership
Kuapa Kokoo receives a share of Divine's distributable profits. Read why co-ownership inspired Yaw Agyeiwaa to join Kuapa Kokoo.
Learn about Yaw Agyeiwaa's story
Fairtrade Minimum Price
A guaranteed minimum price of $2400 per tonne of cocoa that protects farmers from any price drops in the market.
Hear more from Comfort Kumeah
Producer Support & Development Fund (PS&D)
Divine Chocolate has supported many co-operative projects, such as women's empowerment. Read Margret Fianko's profile and learn about her participation in a women's literacy program, funded by the PS&D.
Read Margret Fianko's profile
Fairtrade premium
A payment of $240 per tonne of cocoa that farmers decide how to invest on community initiatives.
Afriye Kwesi Boateng's share his story
Some of our success stories
Comfort Kumeah
Afriye Kwesi Boateng
Christiana Adusei
In addition to the benefits of co-ownership and Fairtrade, Divine has supported many projects aimed at the empowerment of women, adult education, and promoting good governance.

A commitment to gender equality

Empowering Women Farmers

For more than two decades, Divine Chocolate and Kuapa Kokoo have shared a commitment to empowering women. Together, we support women in cocoa farming develop the skills and confidence to grow better cocoa, build better communities and thrive in business.

Explore our history and values in action on our Empowering Women page:

Read More

Our Approach

Protecting the Environment

At Divine, we care about the environment. We are committed to doing all we can to make improvements that reduce our environmental impact.

We’ve demonstrated this commitment across various categories within our operations, including:

Sourcing and Manufacturing
We liaise with our partners along the supply chain to identify environmental challenges and encourage improvements where appropriate.
Product Development
Our product ingredients are constantly under review to ensure the lowest environmental impact. We do not use soy or palm oil in any of our chocolate, and we do not use GM ingredients in any of our products. We successfully applied the Vegan Society approval across a number of product lines.
Packaging
In choosing packaging for Divine Chocolate, we make every effort to employ recyclable materials, minimize packaging and reduce waste.
Transportation
We do not use air freight for any product transport and find opportunities to reduce or consolidate shipments to increase efficiency and reduce “chocolate miles” (both road and sea miles).
Office Supplies
We choose recyclable office supplies and recycle anything we can in the office.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
We liaise with our partners along the supply chain to identify environmental challenges and encourage improvements where appropriate.
Product Development
Our product ingredients are constantly under review to ensure the lowest environmental impact. We do not use soy or palm oil in any of our chocolate, and we do not use GM ingredients in any of our products. We successfully applied the Vegan Society approval across a number of product lines.
Packaging
In choosing packaging for Divine Chocolate, we make every effort to employ recyclable materials, minimize packaging and reduce waste.
Transportation
We do not use air freight for any product transport and find opportunities to reduce or consolidate shipments to increase efficiency and reduce “chocolate miles” (both road and sea miles).
Office Supplies
We choose recyclable office supplies and recycle anything we can in the office.
Divine Chocolate
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