Global Mamas Releases Sustainable Events Collection With Help From PYXERA Global Facilitated 3M Impact Elevate Pro Bono Program

It’s finally here – event supplies that are good for people and the planet! The Sustainable Events Collection is the result of a fruitful collaboration between a 3M Impact Elevate (formerly known as “Catalyst”) pro bono program facilitated by PYXERA Global(www.pyxeraglobal.org) and Global Mamas ( www.globalmamas.org) that kicked off in 2020. Concerned about the amount of plastics and waste witnessed as conference attendees, Global Mamas saw an opportunity to reinvent event materials using the basic principles of a circular economy. Global Mamas worked with 3M Impact Elevate program to bring fresh and innovative solutions to Global Mamas’ vision of providing eco-friendly products to the many corporate events taking place each year in Ghana.

By sustainably harvesting an invasive weed growing in the Volta River, known as water hyacinth, Global Mamas discovered how to produce paper products that help improve the river’s biodiversity as well as support waterway-dependent livelihoods. With a fresh perspective, a dynamic team of 3M Impact Elevate executives validated the business idea and guided the planning and development of products for greener events that also promote sustainable livelihoods in Ghana.

Global Mamas is launching the Sustainable Events Collection as a result of this work. The collection is fair trade and handmade from 100% renewable and/or upcycled materials. The collection includes a name badge with batiked organic fabric scrap neck strap, a notebook made from water hyacinth paper wrapped in batiked organic cotton fabric scraps and recycled glass bead closure, folders customized with company or event logos, and swag bags made from a sturdy but flexible formulation of hyacinth paper and twisted stems for handles or swap those for an upcycled flour sack tote.

With the assistance of such pro bono technical interventions from the 3M Impact Elevate Program and partners like PYXERA Global, Global Mamas is eager to work with companies that are ready to distinctly show their commitment to sustainability by including fair trade, handmade, sustainable conference products at their next corporate event! For more information, contact Allison Greene (allison@globalmamas.org).

Ghana’s Ambassador To The United States Visits Cargill Ghana

On Tuesday, January 24, 2023, Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Hajia Alima Mahama, paid a courtesy visit to Cargill’s state-of-the-art cocoa processing facility at the free zones enclave in Tema, accompanied by AmCham Ghana Executive Secretary, Simon Madjie, and the Chief Commercial Officer and Head of the One District One Factory (1D1F) Initiative at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Kofi Addo.

This was part of the Ambassador’s engagement with U.S. companies in Ghana under the auspices of the American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana.

Ambassador Hajia Alima Mahama interacted with the Managing Director of Cargill Ghana, Aedo van der Weij, and other managers to understand the company’s operations and was given a tour of the plant to meet with the various employees as well as have an experience of the different stages of cocoa processing.

Cargill has been sourcing cocoa from Ghana for over 40 years, and in 2008 opened its state-of-the-art cocoa processing facility in Tema, employing around 240 employees processing cocoa products to service food and confectionary customers locally and around the world. Cargill, also through its various activities in the cocoa supply chain, provides about 750 direct jobs, the majority of which are locals.

The Ambassador was impressed by Cargill’s deliberate efforts at employing and empowering locals. She said it is indicative that given the right conditions and resources, Ghana has the human resource to support industries.

In 2016, Cargill added a Licensed Buying Company (LBC) to its Ghanaian footprint. The LBC operations bring innovative ways to trade with farmers directly, emphasizing their sustainability and traceability efforts.

The company has invested over $3.2 million into sustainability programming with partners CARE and the International Cocoa Initiative to address the educational gap in 250 communities in the Western North region of Ghana by providing school buildings.

The Ambassador was also honored to plant a symbolic cocoa tree in the middle of the Cargill garden. A gesture of goodwill and Cargill’s commitment to Ghana’s cocoa sector.