Chocolate entrepreneur to visit University

Jo Fairley is co-founder of the world’s first organic chocolate and will visit the University on Thursday, 19 November 2009.

She will present a lecture on inspirational leadership to University staff and invited guests at Wolverhampton Science Park.

Dean of Students, Jon Elsmore, said: “As a Fairtrade university we are delighted to welcome one of the pioneers of the Fairtrade movement as our inspirational guest speaker in this exciting leadership programme. As a fan of Fairtrade and chocolate I am looking forward to hearing from Jo about the leadership challenges and lessons that have brought about real change in a global marketplace.”

Jo and her entrepreneur husband Craig Sams set out to market the world’s first organic chocolate. They decided on ‘green’ to represent their environment and social ethos and ‘black’ to represent their high quality cocoa beans.

Green & Black’s picked up a host of awards for entrepreneurial and ethical achievement, and were the first UK business to earn the Fairtrade mark. The fortunes of the Maya Indians in Belize who grow the cocoa have since been transformed, with seven times more village children attending secondary school. The confectionary range is now owned by Cadbury’s.

Jo is the author of more than a dozen books, contributing editor to the Mail on Sunday YOU magazine and chair of a Soil Association committee. Jo and Craig now run an organic bakery and a health centre.

The seminar is organised by University of Wolverhampton Leadership and Development (LEAD).

Further information

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