Oxfam Novib

De Groene Sint

Oxfam gave Sinterklaas a sustainability makeover with De Groene Sint, the gift-giving legend’s eco-conscious cousin. Instead of stuffing kids’ shoes with guilt-ridden chocolate and questionable labor practices, The Green Sint urged shoppers to go Fair Trade, ensuring farmers got a fair price and kids in cocoa-producing countries got to be in school, not on plantations.

Armed with posters, TV spots, and even comedian Dolf Jansen, Green Sint made a splash. Soon after, he turned his focus to Fair Trade chocolate, partnering with Tony’s Chocolonely to create guilt-free chocoladeletters. The movement gained momentum, and before long, even chocolate giant Verkade pledged to go fully Fair Trade.

Not long after, major Dutch retailers joined the cause, making sure every chocoladeletter was ethically sourced. The result? A Sinterklaas tradition that’s just as sweet—but now 100% child-labor-free. Pretty sure the real Saint Nicholas would approve.

Awareness campaign