Shea Butter From sources you can trust
Introduction OLVEA Burkina Faso is a responsible economic player working to promote equitable and fair development. Our presence in Burkina Faso offers secure and better financial opportunities to thousands of women in rural areas through our transparency and long-term commitment. Every day our teams in the field prove that it is possible to promote a natural and wild product with exceptional properties, like Shea butter, while guaranteeing total traceability and controlled quality, and above all a fair distribution of income to the women s cooperatives. Our aim is to act responsibly while caring for People and the Earth. Sylvain Cattin, General Manager, OLVEA Burkina Faso The Butter Tree Shea (Butyrospermum parkii) can only be found in its natural state in Africa: in the Sudan and Sahel (North of the Equator). This wild tree, which usually grows in the wooded savannah zone, can grow as high as 20 meters and reaches its maximum production capacity after 50 years. Each tree produces an average of 15 to 20 kg of fruit (i.e. 3 to 4 kg of kernels) per annum. With its forests and agroforestry parks, Burkina Faso has a very high production potential, in particular in the southwestern part of the country. Nestor Da
Women s gold An ancestral tradition Shea plays a very important social and economic role in rural areas. The kernels and traditionally made butter are sold in the markets. To obtain this butter, the fruit is gathered once it has fallen onto the ground, in order to guarantee full maturity. The fruit is collected from the bush exclusively by women between May and August. The sweet fruit pulp is edible and children love it. Once the fruit is brought back home, the women process it in several stages to obtain Shea kernels: first the fruit is separated from its pulp, then the nuts are boiled, dried in the sun and shelled. The kernels are sun-dried again before being sold or processed into butter. The kernels contain an average 50% fat. Women s gold is an additional source of income for millions of women in rural Burkina Faso and gives them some economic independence (in particular to pay for their family s schooling and healthcare). The benefits of Shea butter Nestor Da Shea, with its many benefits, has been used by local populations for thousands of years, and is an integral part of everyday life in West Africa. It is used in cooking and traditional medicine (skin protection, prevention of cracked skin, baby massage, hair care). Cosmetic applications Shea butter is exceptionally rich in high unsaponifiable matter (kariten, terpene alcohol) and tocopherols. It is used in the formulation of a wide range of beauty products: Skin care Sun care Lip care Hair care
OLVEA Burkina Faso s activities Founded in 2007, OLVEA Burkina Faso is a limited liability company based in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, in the heart of Shea country. OLVEA Burkina Faso is a subsidiary of OLVEA Vegetable Oils, specializing in the production and packaging of vegetable oils and butters. All of OLVEA Burkina Faso s production is distributed exclusively by OLVEA Vegetable Oils. A sustainable supply chain Sarah Drost Since its creation, OLVEA Burkina Faso has developed a sustainable supply chain approach. This approach relies on transparent and longterm relations with women s cooperatives. This partnership is embodied by a memorandum of understanding, the terms of which express mutual participation. This approach allows us to improve and control the supply chain for both organic and conventional Shea kernels. The objectives of this approach are: Fair, transparent and guaranteed remuneration for the women who are members of the cooperatives. Control of the quality of kernels: through training of women in best practices in kernel processing, through training of cooperative managers in quality control, through a unique and innovative quality tool: each incoming batch is analyzed by the OLVEA Burkina Faso s laboratory for moisture, impurities, fat content and acidity. If the quality complies with the terms of the memorandum of understanding, OLVEA Burkina Faso pays a premium directly to the women s cooperative. Total and unique traceability: from the supply of kernels from women in the villages (quantity of kernels sold and remuneration received by each woman producer) to the butter delivered to OLVEA Vegetable Oils, compliance with the requirements of our international customers and applicable European regulations. The development of the economic fabric in rural areas: creation of jobs and guaranteed commercial outlets for women s cooperatives. Compliance with the memorandum of understanding, achieved through in-the-field and close day-to-day work between OLVEA Burkina Faso and cooperatives. Sarah Drost
Shea butter production OLVEA Burkina Faso has an annual trituration capacity of around 3,500 tonnes of Shea kernels. The company has a payroll of more than 25 employees who receive in-service training in hygiene rules, best practices in production, safety and fire prevention. OLVEA Burkina Faso produces solvent-free first press Shea butter. OLVEA Burkina Faso, certified by Ecocert, supplies organic Shea butter compliant with European Organic Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 and the NOP standards. Shea products manufactured by OLVEA Burkina Faso: Conventional Sustainable Organic Refined butter Oil / Olein Stearin Quality Through its quality policy, OLVEA Burkina Faso invests in ongoing improvement. This revolves around four major requirements: Customer responsiveness: an innovative range of conventional or organic raw materials taken from the natural resources of West Africa. High quality procurement: at its production site, OLVEA Burkina Faso has its own laboratory which complies with the current regulations. A detailed quality control plan (sampling, analyses) helps OLVEA Burkina Faso measure and ensure the quality of its production on a daily basis. Good manufacturing practices: control of chemical, allergenic, physical and microbiological hazards following HACCP principles to guarantee the quality and sanitary safety of products. Organization: at every step of the supply chain, OLVEA Burkina Faso closely monitors each process and procedure from Shea kernel procurement to the delivery of refined Shea butter. The OLVEA Burkina Faso Quality Management System involves the whole workforce which is informed about quality issues through various quality system documents (procedures, instructions, print-outs) guaranteeing effective and high performance work practices.
Partners To fulfil its mission, OLVEA Burkina Faso is supported by various partners: Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development (Burkina Faso): joint actions to protect the Shea resource and preserve biodiversity in OLVEA Burkina Faso s area of activity. Maison de l entreprise [business centre] (Burkina Faso): support for the technical training of OLVEA Burkina Faso s personnel. Public/Private partnership with NGOs: ICCO, Fair Match Support, SNV, based on: technical support of the Shea kernel supply chain for women s cooperatives, reinforcement of the cooperatives organizational and governance capacity, marketing support for cooperatives. 2iE/Cirad (Burkina Faso): framework agreement on environmental optimization of the Burkina Faso Shea sector. Philanthropic Fund of the OLVEA Group: opening of several literacy centers in Burkina Faso. Sarah Drost Sustainable Development OLVEA Burkina Faso is driven by the will to conduct its activity with a commitment to sustainable development and the minimalization of the ecological impact of its production. This will is given concrete form by OLVEA Burkina Faso s Environmental Policy, as well as its membership of UEBT (Union for Ethical BioTrade), a non-profit association that promotes the Sourcing with Respect of ingredients coming from biodiversity. In becoming a member of UEBT, OLVEA Burkina Faso commits itself to the principles of Ethical BioTrade: ensuring that sourcing practices promote the conservation of biodiversity, respect traditional knowledge and assure the equitable sharing of benefits all along the supply chain. A win-win relationship: Memorandum of understanding expressing the mutual participation between OLVEA Burkina Faso and each women s cooperative with the emphasis on a long-term outlook. Training of cooperatives: in compliance with good practices concerning the processing of Shea kernels and within the terms of the memorandum of understanding.
A source of additional income at improved rates for thousands of women: higher-than-market minimum price and perception of a quality bonus. Creation of added value for Burkina Faso: all the kernels bought by OLVEA Burkina Faso are processed into butter directly at its industrial plant in Burkina Faso. Promotion of cooperatives awareness of Shea processing, a shared resource essential to local development. Acting as a responsible employer: Creation of many direct, sustainable jobs in compliance with local labour legislation. Work safety: health and safety committee, specific provision of equipment (shoes, helmets, etc.), complete fire safety equipment. Ongoing training of employees: technical (in-service training with specialized local institutions), fire, hygiene, safety, IT. Social security, bank account, refunding of medical expenses, creation of a mutual fund for employees. Reducing our ecological footprint: Assessment of the greenhouse gas emissions generated by OLVEA Burkina Faso Shea production in 2011: 0 kg of CO² per kg of raw butter shipped from Burkina Faso Continued reduction of our Carbon Footprint, in cooperation with our technical partners. Maximizing energy self-sufficiency of the production process, notably by using Shea cake to fuel the boiler. A production process that does not use water. Location of the production unit in the heart of the Shea gathering area. Optimization of logistics: local supplies of Shea kernels and rail/sea link for exported butter. Promotion of cooperatives awareness of environmental protection and good management of natural resources. Introduction of actions for protection of the resource and replanting of Shea trees. Recycling of Shea cake (a co-product of butter production) to replace wood for domestic burning and as agricultural input (plant coverage, compost). Ethical Meter
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