PORIRUA, Today: Whittaker’s is putting more support behind the Ghanaian cocoa farmers and communities at the beginning of its chocolate-making story.
New initiatives include improved healthcare access, a partnership with Ghana’s first Rainforest Alliance certified women-only cocoa cooperative and an extension of Whittaker’s shade-tree planting programme.
The work builds on existing investments in school facilities and water bores, taking the company’s community support beyond cocoa certification requirements.
Whittaker’s co-Chief Operating Officers Holly and Matt Whittaker said direct relationships with farmers help identify where the company can make a practical difference.
Those relationships have been developed through regular visits and Chief Supply Chain Officer Michael Tannenbaum’s long-standing work with Whittaker’s supplier cooperatives.
“Hearing directly from our cocoa farmers is critical for understanding what will really make a difference on the ground, and our new healthcare project is a direct result from the insights I gained when Michael and I visited Ghana in November last year,” says Holly.
Whittaker’s has partnered with global NGO Elucid to help 1,000 cocoa farmers and their families access healthcare—potentially reaching 5,000 people.
While our scale and commensurate influence within the global cocoa landscape is relatively small, we aim to make a meaningful impact by investing in projects that meet specific needs at the Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa cooperatives that we source cocoa beans from.” – Matt Whittaker
Although Ghana has a National Health Insurance Scheme, farmers in remote cocoa-growing regions can face significant barriers to enrolling and receiving care.
Whittaker’s investment will help families enrol in the scheme and access emergency treatment, essential medication, pre-and post-natal services and mobile vision-screening clinics.
The company is also partnering with Assinman Women’s Cooperative, representing 1,118 female cocoa farmers.
“While we are currently developing our supply chain policies for continuous improvement in key areas including gender, we are delighted to be in a position to take immediate action on supporting women’s empowerment in the cocoa supply chain by partnering with Assinman Women’s Cooperative,” says Holly.
Since 2024, Whittaker’s has also supported the planting of 170,000 shade trees across 2,200 hectares in Ghana and provided farmers with training to care for them.
The trees create protective canopies against extreme heat and drought, improve soil fertility, reduce erosion and help extend the productive life of cocoa trees.
“Based on the success of this initiative to date, including the feedback we have had directly from our cocoa cooperatives on how this benefits them, we plan to do more shade tree planting as part of our ongoing sustainability programme,” says Matt.
Together, the initiatives reflect Whittaker’s efforts to create a sustainable and ethical cocoa supply chain, while responding directly to the needs raised by its farming communities.
Whittaker’s makes all its chocolate bean-to-bar at its Porirua factory using fully traceable, 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa—and no palm oil, ever.
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