Certified B-Corporation (B-Corp)
Being a B Corp Certified business means measuring and assessing our entire social and environmental impact and being accountable for improving that year upon year. We are assessed on the five key pillars of Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers.
Based on the B Impact Assessment, Bennetto Natural Foods earned an overall score of 120.4 points. This means we’re a ‘high-scoring B Corp’ as 80 points are needed to qualify. The median score for most businesses who complete the assessment is currently 50.9. So here is how we did it:
1 By being Fairtrade Certified: Our products are all made up of Fairtrade-purchased ingredients, and as a business, we are Fairtrade-certified chocolate producers.
2. By being certified organic, gluten-free and vegan: We prioritise quality and health-conscious choices for our customers, respect for the soil, and guarantee cruelty-free ingredients.
3. By tracking and offsetting our
carbon: Through Net Climate Positive programmes, we go further from being carbon neutral by offsetting more carbon emissions than we produce.
4. Through charitable partnerships: We donate 100% of profits from our Original Dark 60% bar to the Forest and Bird Society of New Zealand, which supports endangered birds annually. Additionally, 10% of profits from our drinking chocolate go to the Endangered Species Foundation in New Zealand.
5. By supporting our supply chain partners: We work on projects with farming co-operatives in addition to the scope of Fairtrade. Through the ‘MamaBay Conservation Through Cacao Project,’ we work with our manufacturers to transform 300 hectares of cleared farmland into mixed species cultivation by 2028.
See our policy on traceability and transparency here
Net Climate positive
We go a step further from being carbon neutral by offsetting more carbon emissions than we produce. Our business carbon emissions are offset through EKOS, supporting projects in New Zealand and the Solomon Islands, while our manufacturing emissions are offset through the Pur Project in Peru. For every 1000 chocolate bars produced on cacao farms in Peru or Ecuador, we plant one timber tree.
We are a Climate Positive Business Operation with Ekos. We have measured and offset 120% (at least) of our operational carbon footprint for the last 4 years with certified carbon credits. These certified carbon credits are sourced from projects that work to grow and protect permanent restorative forests in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands and in Peru and Ecuador using the Dynamic Agroforestry method.
See our policy on climate here
See our policy on agroforestry here
All these projects help to deliver climate resilience, waterway protection, erosion control, biodiversity conservation and
community economic development. Currently we are specifically supporting the Babatana Rainforest Conservation Project in the Solomon Islands and the Kern Creek Forest Conservation Project in Maruia, New Zealand.
OUR WORK WITH EKOS
Our Carbon Inventory reports:
2024 - Carbon Inventory report
2023 - Carbon Inventory report
2022 - Carbon Inventory report
2021 – Carbon Inventory report
2020 – Carbon Inventory report
2019 – Carbon Inventory report
Babatana Rainforest Conservation Project in the
Solomon Islands. Click here to read more about the
project
Kern Creek Forest Conservation Project in Maruia,
New Zealand. Click here to read more about the
project
Pur Projet,
Peru. Visit here: https://www.pur.co/
Thank you Fairtrade Aust / NZ – you are the whole reason why we got into chocolate. As big supporters form the start, we certify our products with Fairtrade so we know our farmers not only have a protected income, but additionally through the Fairtrade Premiums, are given the education and support to produce quality and consistency in their yields. To date, Bennetto has contributed $Au120,000 in Fairtrade premiums as additional funds for our cooperatives. The cooperative communities use this money to invest in education and development as they see fit.
Because it is such an important part of our values, we are committed to Fairtrade and actively engage in supporting Fairtrade Australia and New Zealand.
If you would like to find out more about Fairtrade and how you can support the importers, producers and manufacturers, then visit them at: fairtrade.com.au or fairtrade.org.nz
See our policy on living income here
See our policy on child and forced labour here
Organic
There may be a place for chemicals in this world, but when it comes to chocolate, we say 'no thank you'. All our chocolate is certified organic through the Bio Inspecta (EU) Organic Standard.
See our policy on pesticides here
