Social Responsibility

Supporting cocoa communities

We build long-term relationships with cocoa farmers and their local communities and support initiatives that strengthen community development and business resilience. For example, in Côte d'Ivoire, Ferrero works with the Entreprise Coopérative Kimbre (ECOOKIM), a union of cooperatives that aims to strengthen farming practices, support farmer livelihoods and contribute to community development.

See our Cocoa

Empowering women

With Ferrero's support, more than 2,300 Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA) have been established in our cocoa-growing communities, with more than 70,000 members, of which 73% are women. Through the VSLAs, women can access small loans to set up a business.

Almost 13% of the VSLA groups are part of ECOOKIM, which develops programmes aimed at empowering women. ECOOKIM promotes greater participation of women in cocoa farming, and the number of female growers has tripled over the past ten years. It also helps women generate additional income.
Ferrero also participates in Fairtrade’s Women School of Leadership programme, which aims, among other things, to increase the number of women in management positions within cooperatives.

More than 2,300

VILLAGE SAVINGS
AND LOANS ASSOCIATIONS (VSLA)

70,000

MEMBERS

73%

ARE WOMEN

Supporting children

In the areas where our cocoa is grown, we're committed to contributing to activities that aim to promote education and support the development of children. Ferrero Group has been working with Save the Children on a project, which has directly benefitted 48,500 children and adults and, indirectly, 130,000 people.
Ferrero and Save the Children’s collaboration in Côte d'Ivoire targets communities in Ferrero’s cocoa supply chain, addressing systemic risks connected to cocoa production, especially child labour, socio economic vulnerability, education gaps, and community resilience. In 2025, the partnership was significantly expanded and renewed through a multi-stakeholder programme which will run until 2030. The objective is to scale from 85 to 235 cocoa producing communities, primarily across Haut Sassandra and the Montagnes district (Tonkpi and Cavally regions).

We are also part of a large public private partnership with the Child Learning and Education Facility - that aims to provide high-quality education to four million children in in Côte d'Ivoire.

“I took out a loan to strengthen my business. Today I’m able to help around the house and take care of myself”

KORAOGO ZENABOU

Supporting hazelnut communities

A key focus is on empowering women in local farming communities, which is essential for building strong communities. Since 2016, Ferrero has trained more than 14,000 female hazelnut farmers.