Unilever UK and Ireland’s leading ice cream brand, Wall’s, has partnered with ‘Save the Children’, ‘Symrise’ and ‘ME to WE’ for consumers to see the real change Wall’s is making amongst young people in vanilla farming communities and at home. Wall’s ice cream has announced the launch of Vanilla for Change – a campaign to reinforce its support for global vanilla farmers and young people in farming communities in Madagascar, as well as its support of young changemakers across the UK through the power of education.
Wall’s has been working together with global charity partner Save the Children and flavour manufacturing partner Symrise to make a real change for the young people of Madagascar. The collaboration between the three partners has been in place for over three years, and has already positively impacted more than 40,000 people in 76 villages in Madagascar with lifesaving health insurance, financial education and training opportunities for youth. Madagascar is responsible for 80% of the world’s global vanilla supply, one of the world’s most desired spices.
To build on the journey so far, Wall’s is now also partnering with ME to WE, a social enterprise that enables people to do good through their everyday choices. As part of the Vanilla for Change programme, the purchase of popular Wall’s ice cream products (Cornetto Strawberry, Cornetto Classico, Calippo Combo Vanilla Strawberry and Solero Exotic) will support ME to WE’s charitable partner’s active citizenship programme, WE Schools. The WE Schools programme provides free educational resources for teachers and a range of learning opportunities for students. Thanks to this extended partnership, Wall’s and ME to WE will be supporting 100,000 young people with educational resources through the WE Schools programme in the UK.
During the Vanilla for Change campaign, customers who purchase the selected Wall’s ice cream products will be able to see how Wall’s is making a difference through ‘Track Your Impact’. This unique tool that empowers customers to track and learn where and how the products they purchase support positive impact. With the Track Your Impact code, ice cream fans will be able to see how Wall’s is making a difference in schools across the UK and in farming communities in Madagascar. The Wall’s Track Your Impact stories will be available online from 17 May 2019. Click on the following link to find out more: https://www.wallsicecream.com/uk/inspire-me/me-to-we.html
“We can make a real difference through our Vanilla for Change programme, in the communities in Madagascar who farm our vanilla as well as amongst young people in the UK, both of whom we are hugely passionate about. Having successfully supported vanilla farming communities for many years, everyone who enjoys a Wall’s ice cream can now track a Madagascan farmer who is directly benefiting from our programme. In addition to this, our We Schools partnership, where young people can be inspired to improve their education, will positively affect the lives of young people in the UK & Ireland, helping us spread joy beyond ice cream. These are two causes we are really committed to.” says Sebastian Munden, General Manager Unilever UK & Ireland.
“Vanilla for Change is the first step to demonstrate our commitment to fairness across our supply chain”, adds Ian Maskell, Global VP Wall’s. “It’s a beautiful chapter of the journey we embarked on as a brand to make a difference to the lives of the communities we serve, through our purpose of building a happier, more inclusive world one street at a time.”
Wall’s also works closely with sustainable vanilla pioneer, Symrise – the only fully integrated flavour manufacturer in Madagascar. “Symrise and Wall’s are committed to a supply chain that creates shared value for everyone involved. Employees who live and work with us are the friends and neighbours of the smallholder farmers, so we are passionate about developing these communities. We’re delighted that we can now share our work with the world via Track Your Impact, so more people can get involved”, says Heinrich Schaper, President Flavour Division at Symrise.
“We’ve been doing great work with Wall’s to improve the lives of Madagascan farmers to help stabilise incomes, improve education and enhance infrastructure. By combining Save the Children’s global expertise in understanding and meeting the needs of vulnerable children and their families, and the experience of our partners working in the vanilla supply chain, we contribute towards building a sustainable supply of vanilla for the future, whilst also improving the livelihoods of some of the most impoverished children in Madagascar.”, says Gemma Sherrington, Executive Director of Fundraising & Marketing at Save the Children UK.
“ME to WE is committed to supporting young people with the resources they need to change the world. Last year, over 4,000 UK schools and groups involved in WE Schools volunteered over 860,000 hours and collected more than 115,000 kilos of food for local food banks. Through Walls’ Vanilla for Change programme, even more youth from across the UK will be supported to create change in their communities. Together we’re empowering the next generation of engaged citizens,” says Erin Barton, Chief Development Officer at WE.
