Hamburg, January 29, 2026 – The partnership between Beiersdorf and the Swedish company AAK, launched in 2020, is set to enter the next phase, with the aim of further empowering women in the shea supply chain in West Africa. As part of AAK’s direct sourcing program “Kolo Nafaso” in Ghana and Burkina Faso, more than 10,500 shea collectors have already been supported. The continued collaboration in Ghana will enable additional local measures to be introduced, including training on sustainable parkland management, a borehole regeneration project, and supplying shelling machines to generate additional income for communities.
Often referred to as “women’s gold” in Africa, shea butter is a moisturizing all-rounder and an important raw material for Beiersdorf products, primarily in body and lip care. It is laboriously extracted by hand in various process steps from the fruit of the karite tree, which grows in tropical Africa, from Senegal to Uganda, in an area known as the shea belt.
The first phase of the partnership between Beiersdorf and AAK began in January 2020 and provided economic opportunities for the participating women through the establishment of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs). Trees were also planted, and energy efficient closed cookstoves installed, which are not only environmentally friendly, but also deliver health and safety benefits.
The results exceeded all targets. More than 10,500 women benefited from the initiative, underscoring the effectiveness of the program.
Nima Alhassan from the Dijo community in Ghana shared her positive experience with the VSLA: “We didn’t save much money before, but now we meet every week. For loans, we can borrow money from the box and then we pay it back. When we hold our annual share out, some use their savings to farm, some use it for business. Through these things, we generate a profit and can save more. All are benefits we didn’t have before the project started.”
Lisette Townsend, Global Business Development & Marketing Director of AAK Personal Care highlighted the positive aspects of the partnership: “It’s incredibly valuable to join forces with strong partners like Beiersdorf to truly live up to our motto: Making Better Happen. We believe sustainable impact and long-term development result from strong commitments and robust partnerships. We’re excited to build on the success of our collaboration with Beiersdorf with this next-level second phase.”
“Seeing the success of this holistic project makes me incredibly proud”, said Dorle Bahr, Beiersdorf’s Head of Sustainability Strategy & Reporting. “It supports several focus areas of our CARE BEYOND SKIN Sustainability Agenda and shows what’s possible when strong collaboration meets a clear purpose – creating sustainable change not only in our industry, but also in the lives of thousands of women across the shea regions. Hearing the voices and stories from shea collecting women show how small, focused initiatives can create a big change.”
The second phase of the partnership will include parkland management training for 3,750 women. Each of them will be entrusted with at least two seedlings to nurture and protect. Moreover, the provision of 75 time-saving shelling machines will help create income opportunities for young women. In addition, the renovation of 20 boreholes will guarantee access to clean water for communities.
AAK and Beiersdorf are steadfast in their commitment to the shea supply chain, including sustainable development, empowering women, protecting ecosystems, and supporting climate action. Phase two promises to bring lasting impact not only for the “Kolo Nafaso” women and their communities, but also for the shea value chain, with the aim of shaping a better future for generations to come.
About AAK
AAK specializes in plant-based oils and fats, the value-adding ingredients in many of the products people love to consume. We make these products better tasting, healthier, and more sustainable. We enhance their sensory experience – by giving the silkier mouthfeel in premium chocolate, the juicier texture in a plant-based burger, and the puffier appearance in a lower-fat pastry. We can also optimize their production by substituting existing ingredients with plant-based equivalents that give better efficiency. AAK’s value-adding solutions enable our customers to be successful in a better way. At the heart of AAK’s offer is Customer Co-Development, combining our desire to understand what Making Better Happen™ means for each customer, with the unique flexibility of our production assets, and a deep knowledge of many products and industries, including Chocolate & Confectionery, Bakery, Dairy, Plant based Foods, Special Nutrition, Foodservice and Personal Care. Our 4,000 employees support our close collaboration with customers through 25 regional sales offices, 16 dedicated Customer Innovation Centers, and with the support of more than 19 production facilities. Listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and with our headquarters in Malmö, Sweden, AAK has been Making Better Happen™ for more than 150 years. Our AAK Personal Care division is one of the world’s leading suppliers of sustainably sourced plant-based emollients for the beauty industry. Our technologically advanced solutions offer new opportunities for cosmetic formulators to help positively change perceptions and drive increased use of natural ingredients.
Find out more at aak.com and aakpersonalcare.com.
