Nicko Debenham

Nicko has 39 years of experience in cocoa and raw material value chains. He began his career in Nigeria in the 1980s, working directly with cocoa farmers. He has since developed pioneering traceable and sustainable systems in collaboration with governments across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

In 2021, he founded Sustainability Solutions to help companies and institutions develop and implement sustainability strategies.

Previously, he was Head of Sustainability at Barry Callebaut and Chairman of the Cocoa Horizons Foundation, leading the Forever Chocolate strategy. He also served as Head of Sustainability at Armajaro, Chairman of Source Trust, and was a founding director of Geotraceability.

Nicko was Chairman of the World Cocoa Foundation (2013-2014).

His expertise lies in smallholder supply chains, transparency, traceability, and accountability, driving impact on the ground. He is highly experienced in guiding businesses through sustainability challenges, including poverty, human rights, environmental issues, and regulatory compliance.