The big brands of chocolate together for a more sustainable cocoa

The big brands of chocolate together for a more sustainable cocoa

Some of the chocolate giants such as Ferrero, Nestle and Mars come together in the organization CocoaAction in favor of sustainability in the cocoa supply chain.


Chocolate can boast many benefits, it is able to prevent cardiovascular disease, it is good and puts us in a good mood, but too often the sweetness of the product does not match a production as "sweet". Behind the cocoa processing often conceals the exploitation of workers, in many cases, minors, and the forced expropriation of land to local farmers, the so-called land grabbing. The small crops are being destroyed to make way for intensive production from the highest yield.

To reverse this trend came the CocoaAction organization that brings together 12 of the best known manufacturers in the world of chocolate to ensure a sustainable cocoa supply chain and improve conditions for African farmers' work.

The objective of CocoaAction, which includes some of the most important brands of the sector such as Ferrero, Nestle, Mars, Olam, ADM, Armajaro, Barry Callebaut, Blommer, Cargill, Ecom, Hershey and Mondelez International, is to make more ethical the cocoa supply chain, from the point of view of the workers and the environment. Ferrero, Nestle and Mars are catching up after having been for years one of the worst companies in the field of sustainability, in particular for the use of non-certified palm oil.

CocoaAction plays a leading role to help multinational companies in the industry to adopt a shared social and environmental strategy and to cooperate with the producers and exporters of cocoa. The project aims to provide practical tools and cognitive to local farmers to make them self through the dissemination of good practices and the promotion of training programs.

"This agreement represents one of the most significant steps taken by the industry to make sustainable cocoa - says Barry Parkin, head of sustainability for Mars and a member of the World Cocoa Foundation - align goals, commitment and resources and share virtuous practices is what c 'you need to help farmers in the supply chain to become more productive, while ensuring the future of cocoa. "