TCHO is Recertified as a B Corp!
It's B Corp Month and we have some exciting news! After initially qualifying as a certified B Corporation in 2021, TCHO has used the B Corp framework to help shape our continued efforts to improve. TCHO is thrilled to have recertified with a 25% increase in our score!
Looking back, looking forward.
By Laura Ann Sweitzer,
Director of Sustainability and Strategic Sourcing at TCHO
When I joined the TCHO team in late 2014, I was inspired by TCHO’s many projects in partnership with cocoa farmer-owned cooperatives and its proven impact in cocoa-growing communities. TCHO’s work with cocoa farmers, cooperatives, and cocoa research institutions was extensive, inspiring, and trailblazing for the wider cocoa industry. TCHO’s commitment to cacao quality, organic agriculture, and paying well above the market price for cacao are never-wavering cornerstones for the company.
In 2021, TCHO decided to build upon our impactful cocoa sourcing and cast a broader lens on our social and environmental impact. After reviewing various options, we chose the B Corp assessment and framework as a tool for self-reflection and for guiding our continued progress as a company. With this first evaluation, which was basically a measurement of our status quo at TCHO, we were excited to achieve a qualifying score of 82.2!
Being a certified B Corp means a company isn’t just focused on making money; it’s all about balancing profit with purpose. B Corps are held to elevated standards for social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Think of it as a badge that says, “We’re doing things right”—whether it’s treating employees fairly, minimizing environmental impact, or supporting our community. It’s a way for companies to prove they’re not just out to make a buck, but actually trying to make a positive difference in the world, too. Which has always been our MO here at TCHO and is something we are continually striving to improve.
However, what is limiting is it's a one-size-fits-all. So it doesn't reward all areas of TCHO's impact. Or it will strongly reward very standardized areas (like Fair Trade and Organic certifications) and reward, to a lesser extent, areas of impact that are customized (like our very specific TCHO Source program). What I really like about the assessment is it looks at many aspects of a company's operations and provides a standardized assessment and a baseline for improvement. While not perfect, we believe the B Corp movement is a strong force and mechanism for incremental positive change for businesses. All that said...
We’re thrilled to share that we’ve recertified with a score of 103.5, an improvement of 21.3 points from our original score in 2021!
The B Corp framework evaluates a company's impact in five pillars.
Keep scrolling for some of the accomplishments we’re most proud of in each area.
Governance
2021 score: 8
New score: 13.8
This pillar focuses on how a company is managed, prioritizing strong leadership, transparency, and ethical decision-making. They ensure that their governance structures are accountable to stakeholders (so not just shareholders, but our employees, farmer partners, customers, suppliers, etc.) creating a culture of responsibility at all levels of the business.
Workers
2021 score: 19
New score: 23
B Corps aim to create a positive workplace culture where employees are treated fairly and with respect. This includes providing fair wages, safe working conditions, opportunities for growth, and benefits that support employees’ well-being. Again, it's all about valuing people as much as profits. Since initially certifying in 2021, we’ve added some additional policies and programs to support our team like:
⯀ Disaster Relief Fund Policy
⯀ Employee Assistance Program through Life Works for employees and their families
⯀ Gym Support Policy and Step Challenge through Wellness Coach
⯀ Applied our Internship Policy that was already in place
⯀ Increased the cap on accrued vacation time
⯀ Improved trainings related to safety
⯀ Improved benefits (like offering FSA and DCFSA, Long-Term Disability, Reproductive Loss Leave, and Paid Parental Leave)
⯀ Support for external professional development or lifelong learning opportunities through certifications and educational courses
Additionally, we maintained a great employee retention rate and have an 88% employee satisfaction rate.
Customers
2021 score: 3.1
New score: 1.9
This pillar focuses on creating value for customers while maintaining high ethical standards to make a positive impact through their offerings. B Corps prioritize customer satisfaction, offering products or services that align with their values, and ensuring that business practices are transparent and trustworthy.
The Customers impact area has fewer points available compared to the other areas. B Corps with the highest customer scores have a product or service that specifically benefits a group of people. For example, a grocery store intentionally located in a food desert.
In TCHO’s case, our customers are change agents with us. Their purchases help us increase income in cocoa communities and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through organic farming. So even though our customers enjoy our products, they aren’t the direct beneficiaries of our TCHO Source Program and its initiatives, our suppliers are.
We continue to offer the same great service and uphold the same values of corporate responsibility. However, during our initial certification in 2021, we were going through a rebrand and invested in a lot in consumer research on packaging and overall chocolate preferences. During this round of B Corp certification, while we still conducted some customer surveys, we did less of it overall. Instead, we focused our resources more on responsible sourcing and sustainable packaging research.
Community
2021 score: 28.7
New score: 39.9
The community pillar emphasizes a company’s commitment to its local and global communities. B Corps actively contribute to social causes, engage in community-building activities, and foster positive relationships with customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders, creating a ripple effect of good.
Here we saw our biggest change in points between certification years. We’re super pleased with our achievements and our continued commitment to sourcing responsibly, supporting our growing partners, and helping out in our local community. Here are some of the major contributing accomplishments:
⯀ As of 2023, 100% of TCHO products are now Fair Trade Certified™.
⯀ We continued our long-time tradition of impact projects in cocoa communities through our TCHO Source program. These projects contribute to providing life-changing benefits like:
▪ Eyecare for farmers
▪ School books for children
▪ Tools to improve farming practices
▪ Installing a local bus stop to make it easier for cooperative members to sell their certified cocoa
With every bite, you’re helping to build a more equitable, sustainable future for the people and places behind your favorite brand of chocolate.
⯀ We donated proceeds from two small batch collaboration bars—Deep, Dark & Salty and Grizzly Berry—to organizations protecting wildlife, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Oakland Zoo Foundation.
⯀ TCHO paid significant cash premiums over market price for many ingredients, including all cocoa.
We pay three different types of cash premiums for every cocoa bean we buy including one for Organic, one for Fair Trade, and one for quality.
⯀ TCHO provides paid time off for employees to volunteer in our community, increasing this from 1 to 2 days annually in 2023. We’ve organized team volunteer days with great attendance the last couple years, which included doing habitat maintenance at the Oakland Zoo, packing and organizing food donations at the Alameda Food Bank, and weeding invasive plants at Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park in Oakland with East Bay Parks.
Environment
2021 score: 23.2
New score: 24.7
B Corps are dedicated to environmental sustainability. This includes reducing their environmental footprint through energy efficiency, waste reduction, sustainable sourcing, and adopting eco-friendly practices. They aim to leave a better planet for future generations.
As part of TCHO Source program, we work with farmer partners who invest in organic farming practices that help to combat climate change with regenerative agriculture and promote biodiversity. Some of the changes that we made between certifications include:
⯀ As of 2023, 100% of all TCHO products are made with USDA certified Organic ingredients.
⯀ Energy efficiency improvements to our building made with landlords, including implementation of a transportation survey with all tenants, installing electric car charging stations, and offering community bikes.
⯀ We also transitioned to environmentally friendly packaging, either recyclable, made from post-consumer materials, or commercially compostable.
Additionally, we officially transitioned to 100% dairy-free in 2023! This change reduces our greenhouse gas emissions by more than 75% according to an independent analysis from Measurement Consulting. To get points in the B Corp assessment for this major shift, we would have needed a full third-party Life Cycle Assessment measuring the impact of this change. But we plan to do this in the future, so stay tuned!