Tony's Chocolonely

Tony's Chocolonely is a Dutch chocolate company focused on producing ethical chocolate bars made from sustainably sourced cocoa. They offer a variety of flavors, including dark, milk, and white chocolate. The company’s mission is to eradicate exploitation in the cocoa industry, particularly child and illegal labor. To secure this mission long-term, Tony's established a legal mechanism called Tony's Mission Lock, which safeguards their commitment regardless of shareholder changes. In June 2023, they introduced a new governance structure involving three independent Mission Guardians—Seth Goldman, Ikenna Azuike, and Anne-Wil Dijkstra—who oversee the adherence to the company's mission and Five Sourcing Principles. These Guardians possess a “golden share” that empowers them to prevent any amendments to the mission-related articles without their consent, thus locking in Tony’s impact for the future. They have tools to address serious concerns raised by stakeholders, which include cocoa farmers, employees, business partners, and customers. If necessary, they can escalate unresolved issues through various public channels, including annual reports and advertisements, or pursue legal avenues. This structure has been designed to encourage transparency and accountability within the company while serving as a potential model for other organizations.