Cargill outlines plan to end cocoa deforestation

SCHIPHOL, Netherlands, Dec. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cargill has outlined its plan to eliminate deforestation from its cocoa supply chain. The Protect Our Planet plan provides concrete actions the company is taking to achieve 100 percent cocoa bean traceability and includes a commitment of "no further conversion" of any forest land in Ghana and Ivory Coast for cocoa production. It also expands the company's forest efforts to five origin countries (Brazil, Indonesia, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Ghana) as well as the indirect cocoa supply chain, while securing the future livelihoods and resilience of smallholder cocoa farmers.

"We recognize there is considerable urgency to address climate and deforestation challenges. This means engaging in programs to stop deforestation in the countries from which we source cocoa," said Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate president, Harold Poelma. "We have made important first steps but there is more to be done and we believe that this action plan is how we will reach our goal."

In October 2017, Cargill introduced five sustainability goals for a thriving and sustainable cocoa sector, aligned with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Protect Our Planet, which will be implemented in five origin countries where Cargill sources cocoa and throughout the company's indirect supply chain, outlines how the company will achieve those goals and eliminate deforestation from its supply chain by 2030, including:

1. Supply Chain Transparency: Cargill intends to achieve 100 percent cocoa bean  traceability. The company will map its entire cocoa supply chain, using GPS and polygon farm mapping globally, to identify the exact location of the farms and accurately assess farm size. We will also continue to introduce traceability technology to cooperatives and farmers such as a COOP management system (CMS) and barcoding of bags enabling us to trace beans back to individual farms. We have already achieved 100% traceability from farm to factory in Ghana using these technologies. We are aiming to achieve the same in Ivory Coast in 2020, where we mapped over 80,000 of the 120,000 farms in our direct supply chain. 
2. Cargill Cocoa Promise: Cargill is integrating environmental protection projects into its Cocoa Promise program. This includes expanding existing programs related to growing more cocoa on less land, economics and labor issues to include agroforestry, and conservation.
3. Supplier Engagement: The company is committed to managing the risk of deforestation not only in the Cargill Cocoa Promise supply chain, but also within indirect cocoa and chocolate ingredient supply chains. This includes raising standards for third-party suppliers to advance their own transparency and build their capacity to address common challenges.
4. Transformation, Together: The journey towards sustainable business practices is far greater than the actions or interests of any one company. Last year, Cargill co-signed the Cocoa & Forests Initiative (CFI) alongside thirty-four other chocolate and cocoa companies, the World Cocoa Foundation, and the IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative to achieve a fair and secure cocoa supply chain. Protect Our Planet also includes collaborative arrangements with (sub)national & landscapes initiatives, and support of stronger legal enforcement mechanisms.
5. Reporting & Sharing: Cargill has committed to reporting annually to all its stakeholders, including customers, CFI, NGOs and others. By sharing progress and learnings with stakeholders around the globe, participants in the cocoa supply chain and beyond can learn from each other on this journey to end deforestation.

"Concerns around deforestation and its impact demand a joint response from private and public sectors, companies and citizens alike," said Poelma. "We are committed to playing our part in ending deforestation in the cocoa sector while improving the lives of cocoa farmers and their communities, reinforcing our ability to thrive as a business while leaving a positive impact on the world around us."

About Cargill

Cargill's 155,000 employees across 70 countries work relentlessly to achieve our purpose of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way. Every day, we connect farmers with markets, customers with ingredients, and people and animals with the food they need to thrive.

We combine 153 years of experience with new technologies and insights to serve as a trusted partner for food, agriculture, financial and industrial customers in more than 125 countries. Side-by-side, we are building a stronger, sustainable future for agriculture. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.

About Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate

Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate offers its customers quality products and services they trust to help them thrive, today and in the future. We consistently deliver a wide range of products—including cocoa powder, liquor and butter, chocolates, fillings and coatings—to help customers stand out from the crowd. Cargill offers peace of mind in the short and long-term; day-to-day we work to the highest safety standards and offer insight-driven price risk management and sustainable cocoa services. For recipe development and optimization, we have seven specialized Application Centers around the world. Our insights on market and consumer trends, combined with our innovation support and consistent performance, make us a proactive partner in all major consumer markets. Cargill customers also benefit from our bean sourcing and research capabilities in key origin countries, including Brazil, Ecuador, Cameroon, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire and Indonesia. With a team of more than 3,500 passionate cocoa and chocolate experts in 47 locations, we provide unique knowledge and proactive services across five continents, built on a foundation of 150 years of experience.

Visit www.cargillcocoachocolate.com.

About Cargill Cocoa Promise

We launched the Cargill Cocoa Promise in 2012 to align our efforts in origin countries. It is our commitment to improving the livelihoods of farmers and communities in a holistic way that will secure a thriving sector for generations to come. The origin countries include Brazil, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Indonesia.

SOURCE Cargill

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