Premium chocolate company GODIVA has announced that it is teaming up with the Earthworm Foundation, a global non-profit that strives to positively impact the relationship between people and nature, to make sustainable improvements to the cocoa supply chain and support farming communities beginning in Côte d’Ivoire, where approximately 40% of the world’s cocoa is sourced.

GODIVA and the Earthworm Foundation will work to protect forests and the lives of people who grow and harvest cocoa. The Earthworm Foundation will use its expertise to review and evaluate GODIVA’s cocoa supply chain and help the company execute on its commitment to foster responsibly sourced cocoa.

“GODIVA is dedicated to our vision for a sustainable and thriving cocoa industry where farmers prosper, communities are empowered, human rights are respected and the environment is conserved,” says Annie Young-Scrivner, chief executive officer of GODIVA. “We are thrilled to partner with the Earthworm Foundation and support their incredibly crucial work to make value chains an engine of prosperity for communities and ecosystems.”

“We are excited to partner with GODIVA and believe that together we can help tackle cocoa-related deforestation in West Africa, which will also help create increased value for cocoa farmers,” says Bastien Sachet, chief executive officer of the Earthworm Foundation. “During the first six months of our partnership, we look forward to collaborating to build the foundation needed to actively protect and regenerate forests.”