The Truth About The Lady Godiva Program

When a lot of people think of Godiva, their minds instantly go to the hand-dipped strawberries or the dark chocolate truffles and not the inspiring female icon from whom it got its name.

The Belgian chocolatier was actually named after an 11th century woman named Lady Godiva. Legend has it that Lady Godiva rode naked through town after her husband refused to lower taxes on peasants in what is known today as Coventry, England. Her courageous spirit thus inspired Joseph Draps, the company's founder, to use her name and logo for his budding chocolate company over 75 years ago, according to its website.

So it's clear that the Belgium chocolate company was established and runs on the ideas of female empowerment and supporting powerful women. One way the company is committed to the same generosity of Lady Godiva is through its Lady Godiva program, which highlights women making a difference all over the world, according to Insider.

The Lady Godiva program is a philanthropic effort that selects a powerful woman and a campaign to support, according to Engage for Good. It ran successfully for a few years, selecting women such as Lauren Bush, who co-founded FEED Projects, and Lynne Silver, who founded Adopt International. During the year Bush was the program's honoree, the chocolatier sold a "FEED 10" tote bag that gave 10 meals to children in cocoa-sourcing countries with every purchase.

Although it is unclear if the Lady Godiva program is still operating, the company did recently release the Lady Godiva Initiative, which has a similar mission to support women making a difference around the world. It launched in 2020, right before International Women's Day, and provides grants to organizations that work to empower women, according to AP News.

From the Lady Godiva program's start in 2012, it is clear that the chocolate company cares about uplifting and empowering women and will continue to support this cause into the future through different efforts.