A Decade of Shea Impact

Established in 2011, the Global Shea Alliance (GSA) is a non-profit industry association with 706 members from 36 countries including women's groups, brands and retailers, suppliers, non-profits and affiliates. The GSA over the past ten years has worked with partners, donors and stakeholders towards its vision to be the premier platform to satisfy the strategic interests and practical needs of its members, shea stakeholders large and small worldwide.

Here is a recap of our decade|

  • 2012
    Developed our first strategic and operational plans
    Held Shea 2012 Conference in Benin, with over 420 participants
  • 2013
    Established our global headquarters in Accra, Ghana
    Established member-led sustainability and quality working groups
  • Partnered with the ICCO to support National Associations
    Established secretariat offices for Ghana, Benin, and Mali national associations
  • Held our inaugural North American Trade and Industry Conference in New York City, U.S.
  • 2014
    Launched the industry's first sustainability program.
  • Established our first quality standard for shea kernels.
  • Partnered with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to administer annual quality campaigns in five countries and establish market linkages for women collectors
  • Launched our first African Cosmetics Exhibition in Ghana to showcase innovative products made in Africa
  • 2015
    Launched a pilot project with USAID West Africa Trade Hub to provide warehouses and trainings for shea cooperatives
    Sustainability program reached over 50,000 women collectors and processors
  • Membership grew to 390 members from 30 countries
    Held Africa Cosmetics Exhibition in Lagos, Nigeria
  • 2016
    Launched the $18 million USD, 5-year Sustainable Shea Initiative in partnership with USAID
  • Held our inaugural Europe conference in Brussels, Belgium!
    Sustainability program reached more than 130,000 women collectors and processors
  • 2017
    74 warehouses donated to women collectors and processors
    The National Health and Family Planning Commission of China (NHFPC) approved shea butter as a raw material for use in food products.
  • 2018
    Reached 500 members
    GSA sustainability partners grew to 120 members
    Contribution of Sustainability Program to UN SDGs highlighted.
               
            
  • 2019
    Sustainability program reaches over 380,000 women collectors and processors
    Partnered with the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) to launch a $3.6 million USD regional program to facilitate exports in shea kernels and value-added shea products from Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Togo
  • 2020
    Secured a $54m partnership with the Green Climate Fund, UNDP, and the Ghana Forestry Commission to restore 300,000 hectares of shea parklands in Ghana
         
  • Launched a 1.5 million Euro two -year project in partnership with Invest in Jobs (a GIZ implemented initiative) to promote investment in the shea value chain in Ghana
  • Shea olein received Generally Regarded as Safe status, allowing its use in new food product categories in the United States
  • Launched study that demonstrates the positive impact of the value chain for climate change and carbon capture in partnership with the United Nations FAO
  • Launched Action for Shea Parklands, an initiative to plant and grow 10 million trees and restore 4 million hectares of shea parklands over 10 years
  • Shea exports hit 500,000 MT
  • 2021
    Sustainable Shea Initiative gets extended for another 3 years
    Sustainability program reach over 430,000 women collectors and processors
  • The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India amended the Food Safety and Standards Regulations to include shea butter as an edible fat
    298 warehouses donated to women collectors and processors

We're just getting started. The future of shea and the livelihoods of African communities depend on us.

2021 Global Shea Alliance. All rights reserved