BELVAS produces chocolate that’s as tasty as it is respectful of society and the environment

As of the acquisition in 2005, the management team breathed new life into Belvas and converted the entire enterprise into an equitable business, thus becoming the first chocolate maker of northern Europe specialized on this market. It obtained the Max Havelaar label and incited uncertified suppliers to modify their purchasing policies.  Two years after the acquisition, while the company had already doubled its revenues, it pursued its development and turned to the Organic Agriculture market. Since 2012, all Belvas chocolates have been certified Organic, and research and innovation on new Organic products continues. Belvas has helped create jobs in the region, chosen to hire the long-term unemployed, first with fixed-term contracts (CDD) then with open-term contracts (CDI), as well as workers with disabilities. In four years, Belvas went from 2 to 21 employees. Belvas relocated in 2009 to develop its environmental approach in line with its values. It progressively adopted an environmental management system (EMS) for continuous improvement of its ecological projects. Numerous actions to save energy have been implemented: extension of a low-consumption building, recycling of raw materials in organic methanization, waste management, installation of 1500 m2 of photovoltaic panels, system for heat recovery, packaging certified FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), car pooling. In 2011, Belvas was named the Most Ecological Micro-Enterprise of Europe. In order to propagate its approach, Belvas allows competitor chocolate-makers to visit its factory and gives them the names of its organic suppliers. Belvas also raises awareness among young people about ecology and organizes visits to the enterprise, prepared beforehand with teachers on the theme of ecology.