VOICE NEWS NETWORK CANADA LTD.

What VOICE NEWS NETWORK CANADA LTD. does

VOICE Network is a civil society coalition of approximately 30–33 NGOs, trade unions, and civil society organizations operating in the cocoa sector, registered as a Dutch ANBI tax-exempt association (Vereniging VOICE Network, KvK 64003833) under the legal name Voice News Network Canada Ltd. The network coordinates advocacy, research, and policy influencing on sustainability, human rights, environmental protection, and living income in cocoa-producing and cocoa-consuming countries. Founded in 2010 by seven European NGOs initially focused on child labour, it has expanded to span thirteen countries across all inhabited continents and to publish in three languages (English, French, Spanish).

The coalition's core intellectual outputs are the Cocoa Barometer — published triennially since 2008 as the civil-society reference benchmark for sector sustainability — the Cocoa Income Inventory (a validated, anonymized dataset on cocoa-farming household incomes launched in March 2025 in collaboration with Wageningen University & Research and IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative), and the Cocoa Sustainability Research Database. VOICE also hosts three structured platforms that extend its reach beyond cocoa: the EU Sustainable Supply Chains Coalition (EUSSCC), the CSOs in ISCO Platform (roughly fifty European CSOs across five national sustainability platforms), and VOCAL, a sister network for sustainable coffee hosted since 2024.

Revenue derives from membership dues (core members participate in decision-making; associate members serve in an advisory role) and project-based grants. As a non-profit coalition, VOICE does not sell products commercially; publications, research, and data are distributed free of charge. The organization played a documented role in shaping the EU Deforestation Regulation and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which underpins its current standing as the civil-society interlocutor of record for EU cocoa policy.

Name

VOICE NEWS NETWORK CANADA LTD.

Legal name

Vereniging VOICE Network

Website

https://voicenetwork.cc

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

VOICE Network is a Dutch-registered civil society coalition of approximately 30–33 NGOs and trade unions that produces the Cocoa Barometer, Cocoa Income Inventory, and Cocoa Sustainability Research Database, and coordinates advocacy on sustainability, human rights, and living income across the global cocoa sector.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ede

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: VOICE Network operates as a coalition of NGOs and trade unions. It has a dual membership structure with core members (working together in decision-making) and associate members (advisory role). Revenue is derived from membership contributions and project-based funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

VOICE Network is a non-profit civil society coalition of roughly 30 NGOs and trade unions that coordinates evidence-based research, publications, and policy advocacy to drive sustainability and human rights in the global cocoa sector. Its core outputs are the Cocoa Barometer publication, the Cocoa Income Inventory dataset, the Cocoa Sustainability Research Database, and coalition platforms (EUSSCC, CSOs in ISCOs Platform) that enable joint advocacy with governments and industry.

Product overview

VOICE Network is a coalition of more than 30 NGOs and trade unions from producing and consuming countries, functioning as a civil society platform rather than a traditional product company. The core offerings consist of research publications (Cocoa Barometer, consultation papers), data platforms (Cocoa Income Inventory), and advocacy tools (EU Cocoa Coalition, EUSSCC, CSOs in ISCOs Platform). These products work together to drive evidence-based advocacy and sustainability in the cocoa sector through coordinated civil society action.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cocoa Barometer: Flagship publication providing a comprehensive assessment of the state of sustainability in the cocoa sector, published every three years since 2008. Serves as the definitive benchmark for sustainability progress in the cocoa sector.
• Cocoa Income Inventory

Products and services

• Cocoa Barometer Flagship triennial publication mapping the state of sustainability in the cocoa sector, providing aggregated and disaggregated company and country data with clear visualizations of challenges, commitments, and accomplishments; published by a consortium of civil society actors hosted by VOICE Network and available free of charge.
• Cocoa Income Inventory Publicly accessible, validated dataset on cocoa farming household incomes, developed with Wageningen University & Research and IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative, providing aggregated and anonymized data to support informed decision-making across the cocoa sector.
• Cocoa Sustainability Research Database Online searchable and categorized database of sustainability research across the cocoa sector (and related commodities), allowing filtering by year, language, topic, and commodity.
• EU Sustainable Supply Chains Coalition (EUSSCC) Informal alliance of companies, CSOs, and multistakeholder initiatives hosted by VOICE Network that engages EU policy-makers on sustainability in agricultural and timber commodity supply chains; successor to the EU Cocoa Coalition.
• CSOs in ISCOs Platform Platform hosted by VOICE Network that brings together around 50 European CSOs across national Initiative for Sustainable Cocoa (ISCO) platforms in Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, and Switzerland to ensure informed and aligned civil society presence.

Quantifiable outcome

• 21 publications released over 15 years, including the Cocoa Barometer as flagship research tool
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wageningen University & Research (WUR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVOICE Network collaborated with WUR and IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative to develop the Cocoa Income Inventory, a publicly accessible platform providing validated, aggregated data on cocoa farming household incomes.
• IDH Sustainable Trade InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with VOICE and WUR to develop the Cocoa Income Inventory, providing a structured, anonymized platform for sharing cocoa sector data transparently.
• EU Cocoa CoalitioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVOICE Network was a founding member of the EU Cocoa Coalition, which comprised major chocolate companies (Barry Callebaut, Ferrero, Hershey, Mars Wrigley, Mondelēz, Nestlé, Tony's Chocolonely, Unilever), certification organisations (Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance), NGOs (Fair Trade Advocacy Office, Solidaridad), and multistakeholder organizations (International Cocoa Initiative). The coalition advocated for mandatory EU Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence regulation. The coalition was disbanded in October 2025 and succeeded by the EU Sustainable Supply Chains Coalition (EUSSCC).
• EU Sustainable Supply Chains Coalition (EUSSCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA successor to the EU Cocoa Coalition, EUSSCC is an informal alliance of companies, CSOs, and multistakeholder initiatives engaging with EU policymakers to deliver sustainability in agricultural and timber commodity supply chains. VOICE Network hosts this coalition.
• CSOs in ISCO PlatformcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVOICE Network hosts the CSOs in ISCO Platform, a loose collective of around 50 European CSOs involved in national ISCO platforms (Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, France). The platform ensures informed and aligned civil society presence in national sustainability platforms.
• VOCAL Coffee NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVOICE Network hosts VOCAL, its sister network working on a sustainable coffee sector. Since 2024, VOCAL operates under the VOICE Network umbrella.
• Living Income Community of PracticeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVOICE Network participates in the Living Income Community of Practice, a cross-commodity multi-stakeholder platform, providing input and advice on general strategies.
• Cocoa Barometer ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Cocoa Barometer is published by a consortium of civil society actors from across the globe, hosted by VOICE Network. The consortium includes multiple organizations contributing to and endorsing the Barometer.
• Roots Innovation HubminorOthersVOICE Network is housed in the Roots Innovation Hub on the World Food Centre in Ede, Netherlands, next to the Ede-Wageningen intercity train station.
• Ghana Cocoa CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVOICE Network joined the Ghana Cocoa Coalition in 2025, a coalition of like-minded CSOs coordinated for policy dialogues, knowledge sharing, and enhanced inclusive governance towards sector transformation.
• Fairtrade InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the EU Cocoa Coalition; a certification and standards organization active in the cocoa sector.
• Rainforest AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the EU Cocoa Coalition; a certification organization active in the cocoa sector.
• International Cocoa Initiative (ICI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the EU Cocoa Coalition; a multistakeholder organization working on child labour in the cocoa sector.
• Fair Trade Advocacy OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the EU Cocoa Coalition; advocacy organization focused on fair trade policies.
• SolidaridadminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the EU Cocoa Coalition; an organization working on sustainable supply chains.
• Centre Pour La Justice Environnementale (CJE) TogominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAssociate member of VOICE Network since 2025/2026, working at the intersection of climate justice, forest conservation, energy transition, and cultural peace building.
• SYNAPARCAM (Cameroon)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAssociate member of VOICE Network since 2025/2026, working since 2020 in the cocoa sector to improve living conditions of communities affected by agro-industrial, forestry, and mining operations.
• Water WitnessminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAssociate member of VOICE Network since 2025/2026, a UK-registered charity working on water resources management, including intersection with agricultural commodities like cocoa.
• Lutheran World Relief (LWR)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAssociate member of VOICE Network since 2025/2026, a US-based nonprofit supporting smallholder cocoa and coffee farmers through regenerative agroforestry and inclusive market systems.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative: Convener of public-private partnerships on sustainable commodity supply chains. Co-developer of VOICE's Cocoa Income Inventory and partner on living-income work, with overlapping cocoa-sector convening and data roles.
• Oxfam: Global confederation of NGOs focused on poverty and human rights, with active cocoa-sector programs. Oxfam is a core member of VOICE but also operates as a peer-level advocacy organization addressing supply-chain fairness in agricultural commodities.
• WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature): Global conservation organization with active cocoa and deforestation programs. A VOICE core member but also a peer in convening companies and CSOs around environmental sustainability in commodity supply chains.
• Fern: NGO focused on forests and human rights, with particular focus on EU policy. A core VOICE member and a peer-level CSO advocating for supply-chain regulation and accountability in land-use commodities including cocoa.
• Rainforest Alliance: Certification and sustainable agriculture organization with deep cocoa-sector presence through UTZ. Was a founding member of the EU Cocoa Coalition alongside VOICE, working on similar sustainability outcomes and farmer livelihoods.
• Proforest: Non-profit focused on responsible production and sourcing of agricultural commodities, with cocoa and palm programs. Operates a similar coalition-style model working with companies, governments, and CSOs on commodity sustainability.
• International Cocoa Initiative (ICI): Multi-stakeholder organization focused specifically on child labor and forced labor in cocoa. ICI and VOICE share the cocoa-specific focus and convening role across industry, certifiers, and CSOs, with complementary (not duplicative) mandates.
• Solidaridad Network: International civil society network operating across multiple commodities including cocoa, with a similar advocacy-plus-supply-chain model. Solidaridad is both a VOICE core member and a structural peer in convening producers and CSOs around sustainability.
• Fairtrade International: Standards and certification body for cocoa and other commodities, working on living income, fair pricing, and supply-chain transparency. A EU Cocoa Coalition partner with substantial overlap in cocoa-sector advocacy goals and evidence-based research.
• Rikolto: International NGO working on sustainable food systems including cocoa. Rikolto is both a VOICE board member (via Abdulahi Aliyu) and a peer-level NGO operating on smallholder farmer income and supply-chain sustainability.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/voice-network-cocoa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about VOICE NEWS NETWORK CANADA LTD.