Behind the DOVE® Chocolate brand there’s an eye-opening backstory of women empowerment. It begins in the cocoa growing communities of Côte d’Ivoire in western Africa. In sourcing communities, women comprise nearly half of the global agricultural labor force, while also providing unpaid work caring for their families. This is no different in cocoa communities where the wellbeing of children is intrinsically linked to women’s social and economic empowerment. The Mars Wrigley’s Cocoa for Generations strategy is committed to unlocking opportunities for women—and the DOVE® brand plays a critical role in realizing that commitment. In 2016, DOVE® began partnering with CARE, an international non-profit organization dedicated to helping save lives, defeat poverty, achieve social justice and fight and create brighter futures for girls and women.
In this Q&A, Leslie Philipsen, Director of the DOVE® Brand, and Caitlin Yacey, DOVE® Brand Manager, walk through the brand’s journey of partnering with CARE and empowering women within their supply chain.