GODIVA Chocolatier has a new global, corporate philanthropy initiative called the “Lady GODIVA Program” which will celebrate inspirational women around the world who embody the attributes of Lady Godiva through selflessness, generosity, leadership and the spirit of giving-back to the community.
The US program will recognize an inspiring woman and support the national charity that she is passionately committed to through the development and sale of custom products in GODIVA stores and online at Godiva.com. GODIVA will also launch a local component through an online community where regional nominations will be shared and allow GODIVA to recognize and honor local community leaders and their causes.
“This initiative is very important to GODIVA,” says Jim Goldman, President and CEO GODIVA Chocolatier. “We’ve been hearing from both our customers and employees that supporting their local communities is one of their top priorities. Our company’s history is tied to the Lady Godiva legend and strives to embody the ideals it represents. We are certain that this program will help drive interest in personal philanthropy as well as empower GODIVA employees and customers to give back.”
The national program will launch in 2012 through a two-year collaboration with the Lady GODIVA Program’s first 
national honoree – Chief FEEDer and Co-Founder of FEED Projects, Lauren Bush Lauren. Lauren has worked tirelessly to carry out FEED Project’s mission to create good products that help FEED the world. To date, FEEDProjects and the FEED Foundation have provided over 60 million school meals to children living in 62 countries around the world through the UN World Food Programme (WFP) school feeding program, which reaches an average of 22 million school children a day. With this commitment to charity Lauren Bush Lauren perfectly represents the spirit of Lady Godiva. GODIVA is proud to recognize her as the first Lady GODIVA Honoree as she is an inspiration and role model for women everywhere.
“FEED is excited to partner with GODIVA on the Lady GODIVA Program and I am honored to be chosen as the first Lady GODIVA Honoree,” said Lauren Bush Lauren. “Partnering with a strong brand such as GODIVA, FEED will be able to reach many children to give them the nutrition they need to learn and to grow. Also, this new FEED 10 bag for GODIVA will be created by women in Liberia so we are able to help provide jobs as well as meals with this partnership. We believe that this partnership will help many around the world and look forward to a prolific and productive relationship.”
GODIVA will sell custom FEED products that support the WFP in various countries around the globe. The first
product is a “FEED 10” tote bag ($25), which will provide 10 school meals to children in the African cocoa sourcing countries. The bag will arrive in -store in April 2012 in time for Mother’s Day. The partnership with FEED will continue through 2013 with additional products benefiting other regions, including charities in the United States.
The local program will launch in April 2012 as well, with regional nomination contests, to be held seasonally, that will ask the community to nominate women in their local areas that exemplify the spirit of Lady Godiva . Three regional honorees will be chosen on a seasonal basis by the public, through online voting and will receive $1,000 to continue her good works, as well as a year’s worth of GODIVA chocolate. An overall “grand prize” winner will be chosen from the 12 regional winners at the end of the year.
For more info visit: Godiva.com.
