German confectionery company Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co. KG has been awarded the ‘German Sustainability Award 2018’ in the category ‘medium-sized companies’.
The company, which manufactures Ritter Sport chocolate, won the award for setting new environmental and social standards at its own cocoa plantation, according to the company.
"Ritter Sport is an excellent example of how sustainability can be designed throughout the entire value chain from cocoa cultivation to packaging," the jury of the competition said.
Alfred T Ritter, chairman of the board and owner of the family confectionary company accepted the award:
"The award is both a positive acknowledgement and an incentive for us," said Ritter. “It shows acknowledgement, above all, to all employees who work hard and passionately every day to implement sustainability in all parts of the company. It also acts as an incentive for all of us to stick to our conviction that only a sustainable company can continue to excel into the future.“
Better Conditions
The chocolate manufacturer said it has been promoting better social and environmental conditions in the cocoa cultivation industry for almost 30 years with its 'Cacao-Nica' program, which supports a sustainable cocoa production cooperative in Nicaragua.
In addition, its own 2,500-hectare Nicaraguan cocoa plantation 'El Cacao' shows that profitable cocoa cultivation is possible without compromising on fair trade or the environment, it said.
The award’s jury also acknowledged the company’s ecological commitment and responsibility towards employees and society in general, according to Ritter Sport.
The 10th 'German Sustainability Award' took place on 8 December 2017 in Düsseldorf, with over 2,000 guests. It honoured companies that combine economic success with social responsibility and the protection of the environment in an exemplary manner, according to the organisers.
Ritter Sport was founded in 1912 and currently employs around 1,450 people. It generated €470 million in 2016 and exports its square-shaped chocolate to over 100 countries all over the world, according to the company.
© 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.
