Partner cooperatives that are in their Initial Collaboration Agreement or in their first MoU often use the funds to cover the ongoing costs of implementing the Sourcing Principles (e.g., salaries, insurance, equipment maintenance). Partner cooperatives in their second and subsequent MoUs typically invest in expanding their membership to scale their impact, or strengthening their operations (such as by building warehouses, purchasing trucks for bean transport, or developing additional income generating activities for the cooperative). This evolution is possible because, as we grow the cocoa volumes sourced with each partner cooperative over time, the corresponding cooperative management fee also grows and can be invested more strategically. The allocation of the cooperative management fee is determined collaboratively by the partner cooperative and Tony’s Open Chain, as part of the annual activity planning process and ongoing evaluations. Ultimately, the cooperative fee is designed to foster independence, strengthen systems and drive innovation across all partner cooperatives. With funding from the Chocolonely Foundation and other external partners, we also invest in building enabling environments that support the strengthening of wellbeing and resilience in partner cooperatives’ communities. Key focus areas include investments in infrastructure, healthcare and education, for example through support for schools, healthcare facilities and clean water sources, depending on local priorities and project scope. 4. Technical collaboration and shared roles & responsibilities Partner cooperatives are crucial to our core activities, including supply chain traceability, social traceability and cocoa productivity. We are proud to support our partner cooperatives’ strength-building as they own the implementation of the Sourcing Principles, which are ingrained in their business practices. We have dedicated teams in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana who work very closely with partner cooperatives on a day-to- day basis; providing technical support towards implementation of the programmes. 5. Data sharing Many cocoa cooperatives in West Africa currently lack access to data relating to their supply chain, which limits their ability to innovate and make informed decisions. Tony’s Open Chain aims to change this by ensuring that partner cooperatives can access and use the data from all implemented Tony’s Open Chain programmes. This access to data enables the partner cooperatives to better shape their programmes, revisit successful practices and explore new concepts that truly benefit cocoa farmers. Implementation of meaningful actions begins with actionable data. Having an up-to- date farmer register, knowing which exact land plots the cocoa is coming from, and tracking the flow of beans, for example, allows for better scrutiny of payment flows, enabling cooperatives to address any issues that arise throughout this process in a targeted manner.
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