Tony’s Chocolonely is an impact brand that
makes chocolate, founded by three Dutch journalists who discovered that the
world’s largest chocolate manufacturers bought cocoa from plantations that used
child labor and modern slavery practices.
Today, the certified B Corp has also stayed true to its mission of making
chocolate 100 percent free of human exploitation, worldwide. And it’s generating
quite the buzz for its efforts: Think a product partnership with Ben &
Jerry’s,
appointing mission
guardians
with the power to veto changes to the brand’s ethical strategy, and even a
lengthy
shout-out
from late night TV host, John Oliver.
Tony Chocolonely is out to prove that business as a force for good should be the
norm, not the exception. And its company culture, says Aidaly
Sosa — head of
marketing for Tony Chocolonely’s USA — is an anchor for the brand as it raises
awareness of social
issues
on a global scale, leads by example, and inspires others to think more
carefully about their chocolate
purchases.
You’re a brand with a baked-in (melted-in?) purpose. How do you live this purpose from the inside out?
Aidaly Sosa: We have a North star: to change and solve the issues within the
cocoa industry. But the quality and values of our brand are applicable to our
work in so many ways. It guides us as we show empathy for problems in the
industry but with a positive mind in the way that we solve them. And when people
join the company, they really feel this commitment. It’s not just something you
say outside. It’s something we say multiple times a day to our coworkers and
prove through everything we do in the company. It’s not only a story for the
outside — we live it on the inside. And it’s sometimes the littlest things that
make a difference in a company.
How does your brand purpose help you both recruit and retain employees?
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AS: Tony’s is very serious about people; and we believe that what we show to
the outside world serves as a magnet to what you want to attract — so, our
company culture is a magnet for what we want to attract. We benefit from the
brand image we have out there; and it brings to us the type of talent we have
coming in.
Everyone has a shared passion for social justice; so with that in mind, you have
a common mindset to be empathetic toward others, to be open, to listen. We
encourage each other to be open-minded with positive, solution-oriented
mindsets. That’s so wired within the company.
How does your brand’s purpose impact your company culture?
AS: To be a Tony, you need to have four things: You need to be willful,
outspoken, have the ability to make people smile, and be entrepreneurial. The
company looks for the perfect balance between these four things. Each value
represents what we stand for and the toolbox we need to go against the current
and be focused and have a clear north star with what we achieve with our
mission. We’re a small brand that wants to have a big voice — so, how do we do
that? Be willful. Don’t take no for an answer. We are outspoken about the brand
within the cocoa industry; and we want people to speak out about what they care
about. Make people smile — it’s like, our packaging is very playful and fun; but
it brings a very serious message.
To read more on how Tony’s Chocolonely and other brands are proving their
purpose — and how yours can, too — check out the following resources:
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Jen Mazi is a sustainability writer and content director at Barkley — a marketing consultancy and Certified B. Corporation™ that believes all brands can be a force for good in the world.
Published Dec 12, 2023 8am EST / 5am PST / 1pm GMT / 2pm CET