The Challenge

As the cocoa sector entered a more policy-driven environment shaped by new global sustainability regulations, the World Cocoa Foundation needed to refresh its narrative to reflect its refined strategy and evolving role. Moving from programme delivery towards a platform model, WCF required clearer and more consistent messaging that reinforced its position as the technical, policy and communications backbone of the sector. The challenge was to develop a narrative that supported regulatory readiness, aligned a diverse membership across producing and consuming countries, and strengthened WCF’s credibility as a trusted convener and sector voice.

The Strategy

The strategy anchored WCF’s narrative in its updated mission and 2026 strategic focus on enabling environments, shared sustainability standards and one sector voice. Drawing on audience insights and the organisation’s refined strategic priorities, we identified themes that resonated across stakeholders and markets. The approach emphasised WCF’s role in supporting regulatory compliance, aligning public and private action, and advancing shared tools, data and standards. This resulted in a clear narrative framework designed to enable consistency, credibility and forward-looking policy engagement.

The Execution

Edelman designed and delivered a narrative and messaging workshop bringing together WCF leadership and members. Through structured exercises, participants explored the implications of emerging global regulation, assessed WCF’s new strategic pillars and identified concrete proof points linked to enabling environments, sustainability standards and sector-wide communications. Draft messaging was stress tested against policy expectations, member needs and public scrutiny. The refined narrative framework was then translated into adaptable materials for spokespeople, member engagement and policy dialogue, securing Board sign-off and informing coordinated communications and media engagement around WCF’s refined strategy.

The Outcome

The work delivered a narrative framework fully aligned with WCF’s 2026 strategy, providing a clear messaging hierarchy to support consistent communication across markets. It strengthened WCF’s positioning as the technical, policy and communications backbone of the cocoa sector, enhanced alignment between producing and consuming countries, and supported greater credibility in policy dialogue on regulatory readiness and sustainable cocoa.