Sophi has been Managing Director of Divine since 1999 and has led the company ever since, with the central mission to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers through a more sustainable business. This award has been achieved as a result of Sophi’s work to show that a fairer trading relationship with farmers can not only succeed but also flourish in the UK and beyond. <\/p>\n
The award recognises the ways that Divine does business differently by putting farmers at the heart of everything the company does. Divine is co-owned by the farmers who grow the cocoa beans, with a co-operative of farmers owning the majority stake, 44% of the company. <\/p>\n
Sophi says,<\/p>
“I am a passionate believer that, in order to secure a sustainable future for many of the foods we take for granted, we need to develop new ways of doing business that put smallholder farmers higher up the value chain. Our dependency on them \u2013 to grow our foods, and look after the land, and in turn their dependency on enough income to invest in their families, farms and communities \u2013 needs to be properly recognised in the way global trade is done.\u201d<\/blockquote>