AAK received a 2019 Sustainable Beauty Award and was named winner in the Sustainability Pioneer Category for the social impact of its Kolo Nafaso direct sourcing program in West Africa. The award was presented to Lisette Townsend, global business development manager, and Laura Schlebes, sustainable multi oil manager, at a reception hosted by the organisers, Ecovia Intelligence, in Paris, France.
“AAK has been undertaking ethical sourcing long before it became fashionable in the personal care industry,” says Amarjit Sahota, Founder and President of Ecovia Intelligence. “AAK Personal Care is a deserved winner of the Sustainability Pioneer Award because of the positive impact of its Kolo Nafaso program, which is providing income to over 230,000 women shea collectors in Burkina Faso, Ghana and Ivory Coast.”
The AAK Kolo Nafaso direct sourcing programme has grown exponentially over the 10 years since it was founded. Based on fair trade principles, it provides the women shea collectors engaged in the program with access to pre-financing, training and logistical support. External assessments and qualitative studies confirm success in delivering better working conditions, improving livelihoods and empowering the women to make positive choices that contribute to the socio-economic development of the wider population.
