Commenting on the news that M&S has become the first supermarket to sign onto Shared ImPact, working with Fairtrade and Yeyasso to ensure proof of concept, while talks continue with another major partner that cannot yet be named.
Eleanor Harrison, CEO of the Fairtrade Foundation, said: “This Mother’s Day there’s excellent news for the female farmers growing our cocoa in the Yeyasso co-operative in Côte d’Ivoire, and an exciting next step for M&S’ long-standing partnership with Fairtrade.
“Chocolate is often seen as an indulgence for many, but for millions of small-scale farmers who grow cocoa, Fairtrade can mean the difference between poverty and earning enough to live well. Chocolate consumption is set to continue to rise in coming years[i], yet farmers continue to struggle to cover their basic production costs as climate and economic crisis accelerate. It’s vital that we keep moving forward with sustainability initiatives that improve the lives of the people growing our food.
“Too often sustainability asks in the cocoa sector are passed to a supplier, or notoriously opaque supply chains offer little in the way of genuine impact for producers. M&S is proving to the UK retail sector that a new way of sourcing is possible. Where a supply chain comes together collaboratively, providing transparency that can generate clear and tangible benefits for farmers, with a long term and direct relationship between a retailer and a cocoa co-operative. Moreover, M&S are the first to join the Shared ImPact cocoa pilot. Others will be joining M&S to scale up and share these benefits across multiple cocoa co-operatives.
“As a first mover, M&S is pioneering real, lasting change in partnership with cocoa producers and other businesses. No single company can shift the sustainability dial alone, but through collaboration it is possible to create change. I invite other retailers to join Shared ImPact so they too can help to build a resilient food system”
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