Top Quality Cocoa on Fair Terms
Chocolate manufacturer Ritter Sport has supported cocoa cooperatives in Nicaragua for 20 years.
The family firm supports cocoa farmers in Nicaragua with the Cacaonica project, which secures their livelihoods and preserves forests. Some 2,700 families benefit from Cacaonica – above all, through the provision of organizational, commercial and agricultural know-how. Ritter Sport cooperates with the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), which makes contacts on the spot and also disseminates knowledge about ecological farming. The family business has invested over three million euros in the last two decades – for example, in an purchasing and drying station in Matagalpa. The partnership benefits both the farmers, who Ritter Sport guarantees higher prices than are normal on the world market, and the company, which can secure high-quality cocoa for chocolate production.
Tablets against Chagas Disease
For some years now Bayer has been supporting the WHO in the struggle against Chagas disease – now also with its own employee project.
Every year, 10,000 people die of Chagas disease, primarily in Central and South America. This tropical disease is spread by blood-sucking insects. Ten million people are already infected and 25 million more at risk: Chagas disease is the most widespread parasitic disease in Latin America. Since 2002, Bayer, the German chemical and pharmaceutical company, has been supporting the WHO with donations of its Lampit medicine. Only recently Bayer doubled the annual delivery of Lampit to one million tablets. Additionally, Bayer recently set up a staff project called Bayer Fights Chagas. Young employees can get involved in this voluntary programme and develop ways for Bayer to provide sustainable support against Chagas disease.
Allround Commitment
Faber-Castell is raising ecological and social standards in Brazil.
With 2,800 employees, Brazil has the German stationery manufacturer’s largest subsidiary outside Germany. Almost 30 years ago Faber-Castell set up its own wood plantation in the state of Minas Gerais and reserved 30% – 10% more than prescribed by law – of its 10,000 hectares for natural forest. “That has paid off for us,” says Jairo Cantarelli, who is responsible for wood production in Brazil. “That’s because if you grow wood in an environment that is close to nature, it grows better and is more valuable.” Faber-Castell can also largely forego using chemical pesticides against ants because anteaters do the job for it. Employees profit from subsidized meals in the factory canteen, higher wages and subsidies for health-care provision and education programmes.
