Sweet Sustainability: An Interview With Endangered Species Chocolate

There is a place where chocolate flows freely and profits are used to support species, habitat and humanity. It is a place built upon the core value of Reverence for Life—believing all life is precious and deserving of our respect, kindness and care. This is not some magical place created for books of fiction or even a place that is known as an eco-center of our planet. It is a company located in the bustling Midwestern city of Indianapolis that uses its product and people to make a real difference in our world.

Endangered Species Chocolate (ESC) was founded in 1993 in an effort to spread awareness and to make an impact on the growing number of planet and animal species that are disappearing from Earth. “We started as a company focused on using chocolate to educate and fund endangered species efforts,” says Renee Sweany, PR/Advertising Manager for Endangered Species Chocolate and past attendee of Good And Green(TM).  “If anything has changed, it’s that we are looking at a broader definition to include habitats and humanity.  It’s all intertwined.” And while the company continues to use its chocolate with colorful wrappers to increase awareness and inspire consumers to become more proactive with conversation as well as donate 10% of net profits to support its partners, ESC is taking their authentically green message to heart—immersing themselves in other cultures and becoming true advocates for all living things.

Last May, Sweany and three of her colleagues traveled to the Ivory Coast and Nigeria to fulfill part of the company’s mission to produce ethically traded chocolate bars and help support humanitarian efforts. They met with cacao farms from which their cacao is harvested, helped serve those farming communities through volunteer efforts and worked with The Mercy Foundation, an Indianpolis-based nonprofit that organizes medical mission trips to Nigeria. “We got to see everything and be a part of their culture—even if for a short amount of time,” says Sweany. The mission seemed to grow beyond its original intent with one farmer saying, “You make us feel like we are a part of something bigger in this world. You make us want to work harder.” As Sweany states, “We sometimes forget that not everyone in the world feels like they are part of a bigger picture.”

This was the company’s second trip to the region. In 2006, they installed two water pumps and donated school supplies. “Our commitment to our consumers is not only giving 10% back, but participating on the ground where our cocoa is harvested to enrich the lives of the people in those communities.”

That commitment comes with a price tag and ESC has worked hard to be able to maintain its core value while still running a successful business. While their cocoa is 100% ethically traded, they are no longer considered Fair Trade Certified® through Trans Fair. The dollars previously earmarked for Trans Fair certification now go directly to support the farmers—ensuring that those farmers will continue to receive a fair wage. “We chose to invest directly into the communities where our cocoa is grown,” says Sweany. “Being present in their lives is important to us so that’s where we decided to focus our funds.” This topic is often cause for debate and as more companies move forward with their sustainability efforts, it is certain to continue to be a source of great discussion.

So what do these green mavericks have in store for the future? “We are in the process of researching and most likely pursuing an Endangered Species Foundation,” says Sweany. “We would keep our 10% give back and as a for-profit company feed that, but start this foundation to help fund mission work on the ground in our farming communities and beyond.”