Rowntree's Trust Confronts Colonial Past with New Reparations Role
The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT), a major philanthropic organization funded by profits from the iconic Rowntree's chocolate brand, has taken a significant step in addressing its historical connections to colonial exploitation. The trust has appointed Professor Keon West, a renowned social psychologist and author, as its inaugural head of reparations, with his role commencing later this month.
Confronting a Complex Legacy
This appointment marks a pivotal moment for the reparations movement in the United Kingdom, as global scrutiny intensifies on former colonial powers. Rowntree's, the confectionery giant behind beloved products like KitKat, Fruit Pastilles, and Smarties, has a history intertwined with the darker aspects of European imperialism. Research initiated during the Black Lives Matter movement revealed that African and Asian workers were exploited in the supply chains that fueled Rowntree's businesses throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
While the Rowntree Society, an educational trust partially funded by JRCT, found no direct evidence that the Rowntree family owned or traded enslaved individuals, it confirmed that their business interests profited from commodities likely produced by enslaved or unfree laborers as far back as 1822. The enterprises also benefited from indenture systems, where Asian workers were recruited to Caribbean plantations after slavery's abolition. In the 1890s, Rowntree & Co purchased plantations in Dominica, Jamaica, and Trinidad to cultivate cocoa, limes, bananas, coffee, and coconuts.
Expanding the Historical Scope
In the early 20th century, Rowntree & Co sourced cocoa and other goods from São Tomé and Príncipe, West African islands under Portuguese colonization, where production involved enslaved Africans. The company's interests extended to colonial Nigeria, Ghana, and apartheid South Africa. Notably, in the early 1980s, Black workers at the South African subsidiary Wilson Rowntree faced oppressive labor practices. In 2021, JRCT expressed deep regret for these historical ties to "abhorrent practices" and acknowledged their role in perpetuating systemic racism that persists today.
Professor Keon West's Vision
Professor Keon West, a Rhodes scholar who grew up in Jamaica and serves as a visiting professor at the London School of Economics, brings critical expertise to this role. He is the acclaimed author of The Science of Racism and heads research at the Runnymede Trust. In a foreword to a reparations report last year, West emphasized that reparations are not merely about historical accountability but about addressing the enduring structures of economic injustice. He stated, "I am honoured to accept this role. It offers the power and the responsibility to make real, meaningful changes in the lives of those who have been exploited."
JRCT's Commitment to Justice
Nicola Purdy, chief executive of JRCT, expressed delight in welcoming West, highlighting that the reparations program will advance the trust's charitable goals for public benefit by addressing injustices and their lasting impacts. JRCT, founded on Quaker principles to tackle root causes of inequality, has pledged to strengthen its contribution to racial justice. The trust plans to engage with affected communities to develop a long-term restorative justice plan, shaped by Black, brown, and people of color perspectives.
Broader Context and Funding
The Rowntree family was part of a trio of Quaker dynasties, including Fry and Cadbury, that dominated the confectionery trade during the colonial era. Nestlé acquired the Rowntree's brand in 1988. JRCT currently funds organizations focused on peace, equality, human rights, and climate crises, with grants totaling £13.5 million in 2025. In 2023, it contributed £10,000 to the all-party parliamentary group for Afrikan reparations, which advocates for a formal UK government apology for slavery and colonization.
This move by JRCT underscores a growing trend among institutions to reckon with colonial histories, aiming to foster meaningful change and accountability in the modern era.
