Perhaps it is because I am a Chartered Accountant, and that is why I am often drawn to numbers in things that I read. I thought that I would share some of the numbers that have interested me in the last few days, and the stories that are behind them.
Charitable actions
The number 7: I have much admiration for Kevin Sinfield, whose latest effort was a “7in7: together” challenge in which he completed 7 marathons in 7 consecutive days. He did so in honour of his colleague Rob Burrow who died last year. The pair had played together for the Leeds Rhinos, before Burrow — whose shirt had the number 7 — was diagnosed with the fatal degenerative condition in 2019.
The goal was to raise £777,777, and he has now raised more than £11m for MND charities. This year, each day included an “Extra Mile” run with members of the MND community, symbolising solidarity and inclusion. Kevin Sinfield is truly inspirational.
What our bodies tell us
80 and 20: I am sure many of you are aware of the Italian “God” of maths, Vilfredo Pareto (1848–1923) was an Italian economist, sociologist, engineer, and philosopher best known for the concept of Pareto efficiency and the famous Pareto principle (the 80/20 rule). Technically he was born in France, and whilst he studied civil engineering in Turin he then moved to Lausanne as a professor in economics and later died in Switzerland.
The 80/20 that I have been reading about this week is Vagus Nerve (technically a bundle of nerves) that forms a pathway from the brainstem through the body and affecting many organs. It goes from the down the side of the neck, through the throat, lungs, heart and to the digestive system.
Perhaps counterintuitively 80% of the flow of information is towards the brain and only 20% in the other direction: thus proving that going with gut feel, literally, is a natural thing to do. The skill we all must master is considering that gut feel, particularly in relationships, controlling when we have unwelcome input from, as Steve Peters would put it, “The Chimp”, or biologically the Dorsal Vagal and Sympathetic strands of the Polyvagal pathway. I have admired The Chimp Paradox as a useful way of explaining the how we react to events and helping people deal with them in helpful ways.
Many of you will know that he worked with Ronnie O’Sullivan. One of Ronnie O’Sullivan’s closest friends is Damien Hirst who prepared him a map of his shots that he took to make the fastest ever 147 in 5 mins and 8 seconds during the 1997 World Snooker Championship.
Damien Hirst created the special artwork known as the “147 Spot Canvas (Iopanoic Acid)”. This piece is part of Hirst’s famous spot paintings series, but uniquely tied to O’Sullivan’s maximum break. It was gifted to Ronnie in 2011, symbolising the perfect sequence of shots and the rhythm of his play.
Chocolate
According to ICCO Statistics the cocoa price was reasonably stable through 2001 to the mid 2023 at around £2,000 per tonne with a low point of £1,810 in January 2021. There was a spike in October 2023, before it fell back again.
However, the price of Cocoa has increased dramatically to £5,400 in October 2025 after extreme weather in west Africa and diseases, such as cacao swollen shoot virus, cut global output by more than 14 per cent. So, three times the price now that in January 2021.
West Africa alone accounts for over 70% of global cocoa supply. Top producers include Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Ecuador.
Cocoa production in Ghana has a long and complex history shaped by colonial structures, grading stations, payments to farmers, and ongoing social challenges such as child labour and environmental practices like aerial spraying.
Cocoa was introduced to Ghana in the late 19th century under British colonial rule. Farmers brought their beans to transit grading stations, where quality was assessed before export. Payment was typically per kilo, but deductions and fees often went to colonial authorities and intermediaries, reinforcing unequal structures.
Child labour remains a major issue in Ghana’s cocoa sector. Studies estimate hundreds of thousands of children are involved in hazardous tasks such as carrying heavy loads, using machetes, or applying chemicals. Some children are trafficked or sold into plantation work, though many are family members working out of economic necessity. International pressure (Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, NGOs) has pushed for reforms, but enforcement remains difficult.
What will happen when cocoa prices fall? As often is the case, I expect, retail prices which use commodities often take a lot longer to adjust downwards than they do upwards – perhaps a good time to buy shares in confectionary companies?
Farmers continue to face systemic challenges, while global chocolate demand fuels both opportunity and exploitation.
This history is a powerful lens: cocoa embodies both sweetness and suffering, a reminder of how everyday pleasures are tied to deep social realities.
Summary
As in so many things: with numbers that accountants look at but also and more importantly life, it is the stories behind the numbers that matter most.
Whether they be the inspirational efforts of individuals doing what they can for others; the way that our bodies work and how they affect our thinking and relationships; and what is a simple product that gives simple pleasure to many, (the price of which has risen), hasn’t flowed back to benefit the lives who help create it.
