We teamed up with some amazing partners to grow the good.
750 Young Marathoners Take Their Victory Laps
Clif partnered with the Collis Primary School in Teddington, Middlesex, to challenge students to complete a marathon—26.2 miles of running or walking—over four weeks. During PE classes and lunch breaks and after school, 750 young people raced, jogged, and skipped around a specially painted track. On the final day, classes finished early so marathoners could celebrate their final mile together, dashing through water sprinklers and waving homemade Olympic torches as they paraded to the finish line. More good news: they also raised £5,500 towards a new playground.
“It was such a pleasure to help organise this event and see so many happy kids. The T-shirts and Clif bars made it so special and the kids were so proud to be part of a ‘real’ event. It wouldn’t have been possible, or it would have been unaffordable for many kids, so a very big thank you to the sponsors.” –Parent organiser
“We usually struggle to get our kids exercising—it’s been so easy this month. Thank you!” –Parent
After crossing the finish line, the children had their photos taken and each picked up their prize, a chocolate chip CLIF BAR.
Our People in Action
Clif’s European team—energetically assisted by five children and six dogs!—tidied up beaches and plogged (Swedish for collecting litter while jogging) in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain.
Improving Farmers’ Lives by Closing the Living Income Gap
Even though five million smallholder farmers grow over 90% of the world’s cacao, many earn well under the World Bank’s extreme poverty line of $1.90 (about £1.55) per day.1
In 2021, we closed the living income gap by 50% for smallholder farmers growing cacao for Clif in the Dominican Republic, which was double our initial commitment. Our methodology was based on original research conducted from 2014-2018 with independent experts and the cacao farmers in the Juan Cruz de Guaranal Association. We understand the solution isn’t just writing a cheque but also finding new ways to help farmers to increase yield and income while becoming more resilient. Our pilot offered farmers a unique, 18-month onsite program that increased plant density on their acreage, introduced better quality cacao plants, expanded farmland, and diversified crops.
Thanks to these interventions as well as good weather and the farmers’ committed partnership, in 2021 the average cacao yield for these farms reached a six-year high (8% greater than the previous high recorded in 2016). This pilot “transformed the way our farmers understand and manage their farms,” said Altair Rodriguez, Dominican human rights researcher turned cacao farmer. They’ve learned to prune, graft, plant hedgerows, and improve soil, but “most importantly,” she wrote, “farmers are working together and becoming experts in managing their agroforestry systems. Some can now actually begin to teach other farmers.”
At Clif, we’re taking what we learned from this pilot to develop a more extensive living income program that focuses on critical crops in our supply chain. This new program will also be based on an original methodology combining interventions with financial incentives. We understand this is critical for our business, but we also see a great need across multiple supply chains and encourage others to join us in helping close the living income gap.
“I am moving forward. (The property) shows that even in my small plot the production will be substantial. And that is thanks to the (Clif Bar) project.” –Jesús María Disla, Farmer, Juan Cruz de Guaranal Association
1. Fairtrade Foundation, “Craving a Change in Chocolate,” June 2019
