Confectionery company Ferrero has joined a global effort to end deforestation at its cocoa production hubs in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
The company said it has committed to the ‘Frameworks for Action’ set out at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP23) in Bonn. The goal of the framework is to improve forest protection and restoration, sustainable cocoa production and farmer livelihoods.
Chocolate and cocoa companies will implement verifiable monitoring systems to better trace cocoa from the farms to the first purchase point for their own purchases of cocoa.
The agreement will also ensure an effective national framework for both West African countries for traceability for all traders in the supply chain.
Notable Support
Last week, global foods manufacturer General Mills announced that it was joining in the same effort. Other notable companies that have committed to the 'Framework for Action' so far include Nestlé, Sainsbury’s, Mars Wrigley Confectionary and The Hershey Company.
Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire account for a large portion of the cocoa bought by these companies; in the case of General Mills, this is as high as 70%.
“Ferrero is committed to working on the challenges to end deforestation in the cocoa sector, as well as implement key principles and strategies that underpin socially and environmentally sustainable cocoa production,” said Aldo Uva, open innovation and chief operation officer strategic business units of the Ferrero Group.
Ferrero said this latest effort is evidence of the company’s dedication to a sustainable and responsible cocoa supply chain. It follows the signing of the ‘New York Declaration on Forests’ by the United Nations, which Ferrero committed to in 2014, and the ‘Cocoa and Forests Initiative’ in March 2017.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Kevin Duggan. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
