Chocolate that tastes good, and does good: Building boreholes in Ghana
Last updated 21/09/2023: Here at Whittaker’s bringing you the finest chocolate, starts with sourcing the best ingredients from the best suppliers, in the most sustainable way. Sustainable sourcing involves working with our suppliers and farmers in countries including Ghana, to make positive change in their communities. This is all part of our commitment to providing Chocolate Lovers with good, honest chocolate.
One of the most important ingredients we use in more than 100 of our Whittaker’s products is ethically, fairly and sustainably sourced Ghanaian cocoa beans. You may have noticed the little frog on our chocolate blocks that use these cocoa beans. That’s the seal of our partnership with Rainforest Alliance, an international non-profit organisation working to improve the way crops are grown and harvested, so the process is better for the people and the planet.
In addition to this partnership, Whittaker’s has invested in geo-mapping all the farms in Ghana that we source cocoa beans from, to give us 100% traceability. This means all the cocoa beans making their way to Whittaker's can be traced from the farm where they were grown right to our factory door. This gives us and Chocolate Lovers greater assurances around how each cocoa bean has been produced. It has also allowed us to build personal relationships with the three farming cooperatives who provide our Ghanaian cocoa beans (Asankrangwa, Assin Fosu and Tarkwa-Huni Valley), and support their communities through a range of initiatives.
Providing safer water to communities in Ghana
Most recently, Whittaker’s has funded the installation of six mechanised boreholes in the villages where the farmers from our three cocoa cooperatives work and live. This is in addition to two boreholes we installed in 2020, attached to washroom facilities.
Each of the six boreholes provides up to 200 people with clean and safe drinking water. Before these boreholes were installed, most people in these communities, including children, were getting their water from streams. This had to be treated before drinking to provide protection against waterborne diseases.
Unlike other boreholes, where water is pumped manually, these six mechanised boreholes are powered by electricity, which pumps the water into storage tanks connected to taps. This means when a community member needs water, they just have to open the tap to fill their bucket or pot.
After working closely with our cooperatives, we were able to identify that boreholes are their highest infrastructure priority. Our goal is to gradually install boreholes in all communities within the farming cooperatives we work with, that do not have access to potable water.
Whittaker’s co-Chief Operating Officer, Matt Whittaker spent time on the ground in Ghana helping plan these boreholes.
“At Whittaker’s, we strive to do what we do in a good, honest way, which includes supporting our communities and suppliers,” says Matt.
“As part of this, it’s important to us to spend time on the ground with our suppliers and work closely with them to identify the things they need to improve their livelihoods and build a brighter future for their communities and their children. In addition to installing boreholes, we have also built washrooms and helped with the construction of schools.”
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Projects and support like this are part of Whittaker’s commitment to producing Good Honest Chocolate. We are continuing to work with our farmers to ensure we’re having a positive impact on their communities. Become a Chocolate Lover, and we’ll keep you in the loop with progress we’re making. Or, if you have a question about our Ghana cooperatives or traceability, please get in touch!