Leading a purpose-driven business

Sophi Tranchell, former CEO of Divine Chocolate

Sophi Tranchell led the popular social enterprise, Divine Chocolate for 21 years as Chief Executive of the Fairtrade brand.

Sophi shares her experiences of leading a truly unique business that was set up by cocoa farmers in Ghana, and who govern the company through seats on the Board and shares in the company.

More about Sophi

Sophi is an award winning social entrepreneur and campaigner for social justice and is a long term advocate for Fairtrade, social enterprise, co-operatives and B Corps.

Divine’s international success demonstrated that social enterprise can deliver at scale, and proved that you really can do business differently by securing fairer, more sustainable and empowering relationships with smallholder farmers around the world.  Sophi has always championed women’s equality particularly in agricultural supply chains and believes in enabling people to use their purchasing power to make the world the way they would like it to be.

Sophi is a founding trustee of Trading Visions a charity working to promote progressive change by amplifying the voices of small scale producers, starting with cocoa farmers.  And as Chair of the steering committee for Fairtrade London (the biggest Fairtrade city in the world) she successfully led the campaign to ‘Make London a Fairtrade City’. Sophi is also a Trustee of Greenwich Leisure Limited, a charitable social enterprise, the biggest provider of high quality affordable leisure and fitness and libraries in the UK.

Other accomplishments include being one of the founders  of the UK Fairtrade Leaders Forum and of Social Enterprise London which was the precursor of Social Enterprise UK.

What to expect

Sophi reveals the thrills of working for a radical business model that has improved the lives of cocoa farmers in West Africa which through its success has been the catalyst for change in the chocolate industry.

Hear Sophi’s views on in-house chocolate ethical certifications and her excellent advice for those looking to start a purpose-driven business.

And for all of us as consumers, Sophi explains how shoppers can identify which companies are running their businesses responsibly, and which are not.