Setting new ethical standards with chocolate
Every two years, the Swiss Ethics Award recognizes projects that set new ethical standards in the business world. This year, Coop & Chocolats Halba won the award with their joint project "Sustainable chocolate from Ecuador".
The joint project "Sustainable Chocolate from Ecuador" of Coop and its subsidiary Chocolats Halba pursues economic, ecological and social goals: among others, the increase of living standards, biodiversity and the integration and promotion of young farmers. The project is based on the "train the trainer" principle. Cocoa farmers in Ecouador (especially women and young people) are trained in the methods of dynamic agroforestry. As so-called facilitadores, they pass on their knowledge and become ambassadors for sustainable cocoa cultivation. This lays the foundation for a sustainable livelihood for small farmers in Ecuador.
This project, which is comprehensive in its impact, was presented with the Swiss Ethics Award by the Swiss Excellence Forum at the Ethical Leadership Conference in the KKL Lucerne on April 26, 2018. Also nominated were Clinica Luganese Moncucco, Ikea and Swisscom, each with their own projects for higher ethical standards in business. The winning project was recognized for, among other things, its focus on sustainable cocoa production and tackling a whole range of deep-seated problems such as poverty, small acreages, low market prices, poor infrastructure and lack of knowledge, all of which plague Ecuador's small farmers. By proactively addressing these problem areas, Chocolats Halba is now one of the sustainability pioneers in the Swiss chocolate industry.
Information: Swiss Excellence Forum
