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According to the US Department of Labor, more than 2 million children in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire work in hazardous conditions growing cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate 1. While some companies have begun tracing their supply chains to prevent child labor, the vast majority of the 3 million tons of cocoa produced each year come from small farms in West Africa, where farmers and their children live on less than $1 per day2.

A Chocolate Scorecard on Sustainability

This scorecard will help you find ethically sourced sweets and understand what the certification labels on cocoa actually mean. This is, of course, not a comprehensive list of ethically sourced chocolate companies; however, the scorecard features companies who are also Green Business Network members, as Green America has screened them for their environmental, social justice, and human rights practices. Chocolate bars with an "A" rating are addressing farmer income and child labor issues, and are organic and/or non-GMO certified.

Most major chocolate companies have commitments to source more sustainable cocoa. In fact, many of them have plans to have 100% certified cocoa in their supply chain by 2020. Although this is an important step in the right direction, certification programs alone are not enough to solve the underlying issues that contribute to child labor in cocoa, including farmer poverty and a lack of infrastructure.

With that in mind, last year we expanded our chocolate scorecard to go beyond commitments about certified chocolate to look at programs that support farmers and address child labor when it is found. Additionally, while the scorecard’s ratings are still heavily based on efforts to combat child labor, this year we’ve added a new category on deforestation. On top of a child labor problem, the cocoa industry has a huge negative impact on forests. In the Ivory Coast and Ghana, 90% of their forests have been lost and the cocoa industry is a big driver of that deforestation.  Much of that deforestation was caused by the largest cocoa companies, and, as a result of activist pressure, they worked with the World Cocoa Foundation to create the Cocoa and Forest Initiative to prevent further damage.  

A Chocolate Scorecard on Child Labor and Deforestation

With this updated scorecard, we are not only looking at how much certified cocoa a major chocolate company has, we are also looking to see if the company has innovative programs and projects in place to address some of the other underlying issues of child labor in cocoa and if the company is working to address deforestation. Although companies may have programs going beyond certification that sound similar, they can vary in practice in regards to how comprehensive and impactful they are, and the final grade reflects that.

Such programs include:

• Child Labor Monitoring and Remediation Systems, which work with communities and families to address why child labor is happening on farms;
• Farmer income generating programs;
• Traceability mechanisms for fuller supply chain transparency.

You can learn more about what went into the different grades here.

Click to here to download your own copy of Green America's Chocolate Scorecard

denotes members of Green America's Green Business Network.

Equal Exchange (EE) was founded to challenge the existing trade model, which often does not favor small scale farmers. EE’s chocolate at a minimum meets fair trade standards but is no longer actively certified, as EE found certifiers to be tailored to the needs of big corporations and through the expansion of certifiers, some of the original values of the fair trade movement were weakened. Equal Exchange aims to create market access for small scale farmers, which at times was at odds with large certifiers. All EE chocolate suppliers are regularly audited against fair trade standards, and all EE products are fully traceable. On average EE pays more for cocoa than even the fair trade premium requires.

Godiva has committed to "100% sustainable cocoa by 2020," but has not provided information about who is certifying its cocoa, nor shared any progress or plans regarding their commitment.

All figures come from publicly available company information and the Cocoa Barometer. This list is not exhaustive of all chocolate companies. If your favorite chocolate brand is not listed, consider calling the company to ask about its commitment to ethical sourcing.

What The Certification Labels Mean

Label	About
Fairtrade	Fairtrade standards prohibit forced labor, child labor, and discrimination. If child labor is detected in a supply chain, Fairtrade immediately enacts its child protection policy and implements remediation efforts. Certified farmers’ organizations receive at least the Fairtrade Minimum Price for their cocoa beans and a Fairtrade Premium that they use to invest in their communities and business. To use the FAIRTRADE certification mark on a product, all ingredients that can be certified must come from Fairtrade sources.
Fair Trade Certified	Fair Trade USA’s Fair Trade Certified standards prohibit forced labor, child labor, and discrimination, and protects freedom of association and collective bargaining rights. If child labor should surface, remediation guidelines are in place. Certified farmers are guaranteed a fair trade floor price for their cocoa beans as well as a social premium. Fair Trade Certified certifies farmer cooperatives as well as larger plantations. Only cocoa needs to be certified for the chocolate bar to receive the seal.
IMO Fair For Life	The IMO Fair for Life guarantees that smallholder farmers receive fair payment and that workers enjoy good and fair working conditions. The Fair for Life system prevents forced and child labor and also includes detailed environmental criteria. Fair For Life certified products must use Fair Trade ingredients if available, and regardless, 50% of all ingredients must be Fair Trade in order for a product to bear the seal.
Rainforest Alliance (RA)	RA standards prohibit the use of forced labor, child labor, and discrimination, and farmers have the right to oragnize. RA does not require buyers to pay a specific minimum floor price for cocoa beans. RA reasons that by producing higher quality and sustainable cocoa beans, farmers should be able to earn a higher price for their beans over time.
UTZ	UTZ certification prohibits forced labor, child labor, and discrimination and protects the right to organize and bargain collectively. In terms of pricing, UTZ states that premiums are paid to farmers for their certified products, but the price is solely based on negotiations between the buyers and farmers. Paying the legal minimum wage is required.

NOTE: In 2018, Rainforest Alliance and Utz merged. In 2019, Rainforest Alliance will release its new standards. Until then, Rainforest Alliance and Utz standards will continue to be applied.

Updated October 16, 2019

1. DOL/Tulane University’s 2013/14 Survey Research on Child Labor in the West African Cocoa Sector

2. 2018 Cocoa Barometer

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DanoneWave to Advance Soil Health

Green America’s Center for Sustainability Solutions has been collaborating with DanoneWave (maker of dairy and plant-based products, coffee creamers, and beverages) to implement sustainable agriculture practices in its supply chain. DanoneWave has announced the launch of a soil health initiative which will help dairies and growers implement practices that improve soil health. DanoneWave is committing up to $6M for research on soil regeneration and enhancement of organic matter and soil fertility over the next five years. See their press release below.

In addition, DanoneWave has joined with Green America, The Carbon Underground and others to develop a global verification standard for food grown in a regenerative manner. The standard seeks to encourage farmers to restore the carbon cycle and build soil health, crop resilience, and nutrient density.

DanoneWave Puts a Stake in the Ground with Commitment to Regenerative Agriculture and Soil Health Research Collaboration with Renowned Research Partners

Brings together a ‘dream team’ of expertise in the study of soil health, applicable to all agricultural systems in The Dannon Pledge portfolio of brands

• Begins with research that will spur transformation to support best-in-class soil health programs with experts and academics to benefit our farms and communities
• Builds on the company’s commitment to sustainable agriculture as articulated in The Dannon Pledge
• Reinforces company commitment to sustainable agriculture, joining The Carbon Underground to inform the design and development of a new global certification standard for food grown in a regenerative way and exploring options to participate in the Regenerative Organic Alliance

White Plains, NY (March 7, 2018) – Today, DanoneWave puts a stake in the ground, launching a ground-breaking soil health initiative with renowned experts and academics to build best-in-class soil health programs to benefit our farms and communities. The company shared an ambition to commit up to $6M for the research program over the next five years. This program will begin with products involved in The Dannon Pledge, and may have impact in the future across the DanoneWave portfolio. The Dannon Pledge is the company’s commitment to a range of progressive practices focused on sustainable agriculture, transparency and naturality, and enables the company to offer consumers more yogurt choices. The flagship brands that are leading with Non-GMO Project verification as part of The Dannon Pledge include Dannon^®, Oikos^® and Danimals^®. Dannon is part of DanoneWave. To learn more about The Dannon Pledge, visit ExpoWest Booth 513 or dannonpledge.com.

“Soil is the foundation of our food system, with an estimated 95 percent[i] of food directly or indirectly reliant on soil.” said Ryan Sirolli, Agriculture Director, DanoneWave. “As America’s largest yogurt maker, we saw an opportunity to initiate this breakthrough research program with our supply chain. When we announced our Pledge, we committed to championing sustainable agriculture, which includes reaching for better soil health. We will evaluate soil on the farms of growers who provide feed for cows and on the dairy farms where we buy milk. The long-lasting relationships we have with our growers and dairy farmers, who have a passion for change and strive for continuous improvement, have empowered us to launch this program. We know this work requires collaboration to make a meaningful impact, and we are excited to bring together uniquely skilled partners to help us to continue to fulfill our ambition.”

DanoneWave will be advancing its soil health research program over the next 18 months. The aim of the soil health initiative is to identify ways to help regenerate soils, looking at enhancing organic matter and soil fertility with long-term benefits such as soil carbon sequestration, reduced chemicals use, soil water holding capacity, biodiversity and economic resilience of farmer communities. Key activities with participating grower and dairy farmer partners and third-party soil health experts will include soil sampling, review of yield, grower engagement, data collection and analysis, first reports and field days with farmers to provide training around soil health best practices.

 “A priority on my farm is stewardship of the land. When we steward the soil well, we have better yields and we help mother nature. I am looking forward to working with DanoneWave to continue to improve soil health, and I am excited to look at the outcomes of this research program to consider how it impacts my farm and our practices,” said Rick Clark, a grower of Non-GMO Project Verified feed for the supply chain that supports brands involved in The Dannon Pledge at Clark Land and Cattle in Williamsport, Indiana.

The partners DanoneWave is announcing today are:

• Dr. Rattan Lal and the Carbon Management and Sequestration Center at The Ohio State University will lead soil sampling across a set of grower and dairy farmer partners. The team will analyze the samples and provide data for analysis. The team will then look at the data to identify practices to help increase the carbon intake of soil.
• Dr. Harold van Es and the soil health team at Cornell University will partner on soil health analysis for the program. The team will use results to make recommendations to be implemented over the next five years with an aim to improve soil health with participating grower and dairy farmer partners.
• EcoPractices, working with EFC/Ag Solver as a service provider, will gather information from program partners to analyze and share reports that help to create an understanding of what the data means for many stakeholders – importantly, our farmer partners.

In addition to announcing partners for the soil health initiative, today DanoneWave is also proud to join The Carbon Underground, Green America and other food companies to inform the design and development of a new global certification standard for food grown in a regenerative way. The soil health initiative and the company’s work to support The Carbon Underground are two important next steps in DanoneWave’s overarching regenerative ambition. To learn more about The Carbon Underground, read the latest press release here.

“With all life beginning and ending in soil, there is urgency to promote agricultural practices that can help regenerate soils. As a soil scientist who has conducted research in this area for the last 50 years, I am privileged to work with DanoneWave, a company that is setting an example for the private sector with a commitment to become carbon neutral,” said Dr. Rattan Lal, The Ohio State University. “The support of the private sector will ensure we can make changes on a significant scale. I hope that others will be inspired by this work and consider options for becoming involved.”

“Working with the private sector to tackle the question of how to improve soil health will help us make an impact at large scale,” said Dr. Harold van Es, Cornell University. “I’ve spent my career exploring opportunities to improve soil health, and I look forward to working with DanoneWave and the soil health program research team to implement changes based on what we learn through the research.”

Finally, the company is exploring options to participate in the Regenerative Organic Alliance, a group working to develop a new standard, which will be known as Regenerative Organic Certification. The work with the Regenerative Organic Alliance would be complementary to the company’s continued commitment to the USDA Organic Standard through pioneering brands. DanoneWave seeks to understand how this proposed certification can benefit our planet and farming communities through soil health, animal welfare, social fairness, and offer more choices for our consumers and our business.

About DanoneWave
Headquartered in White Plains, New York, and Broomfield, Colorado, the mission of DanoneWave is to bring health through food to as many people as possible via its diverse offering of dairy and plant-based foods in high growth and evolving categories. The ambition of DanoneWave is to produce healthful foods that create economic and social value and nurture natural ecosystems through sustainable agriculture. Every time we eat and drink, we vote for the world we want. And as the largest public benefit corporation in the US, DanoneWave is taking bold steps for social good in North America. DanoneWave is a subsidiary of Danone and more information is available at www.DanoneWave.com.

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Media Contact:

Alessandra Simkin

914-259-0263

alessandra.simkin@danone.com