Mars Wrigley Confectionery overhauls its cocoa supply chain
Chocolate giant Mars Wrigley Confectionery has launched a new plan for overhauling its cocoa supply chain that places the interest of the smallholder farmer at its centre.
Called Cocoa for Generations, the plan is backed by an investment of US$1 billion over 10 years and is incremental to the Sustainable in a Generation Plan investment Mars announced last year.
"For nearly 40 years we've been working to achieve sustainable cocoa production," said John Ament, global vice president – Cocoa, Mars Wrigley Confectionery. "While we've made progress, including reaching nearly 180,000 farmers with sustainability certification, we are impatient with our pace of progress and of the cocoa sector overall.
“We don't have all the answers but our first step is to put the farmer at the center of our ambitions and actions. We plan to inspire others and work together to ensure Cocoa for Generations."
Cocoa for Generations consists of two pillars. Through its first pillar, Mars aims to have 100 per cent of its cocoa from the Responsible Cocoa program responsibly sourced globally and traceable by 2025. Responsible Cocoa means having systems in place to address deforestation, child labour and higher incomes for farmers.
Specifically, Mars expects farms that are part of its Responsible Cocoa program to provide satellite based GPS locations so that it has assurances that such cocoa does not come from protected forest areas. Mars will also work with suppliers and certifiers to enhance the child labour monitoring and remediation programs (CLMRS) deployed in its Responsible Cocoa supply chain, and continue to help improve education in cocoa-growing communities, with a focus on access to and quality of schools.
In addition, Mars will work with partners to ensure that the model for premiums the company pays for responsibly-produced cocoa is overhauled to ensure that farmers receive a higher share of the premium. Mars will explore and encourage further sector-wide changes and partnerships that can bring about increased income for farmers.
While this new approach is implemented, Mars will maintain its current certified cocoa levels with the Rainforest Alliance and with Fairtrade.
Fairtrade said in a statement that it applauds Mars for recognising the role of the smallholder farmer at the heart of any ambitious plan in cocoa sustainability.
“Without progress on incomes for these farmers, sector-wide transformation is not possible,” Fairtrade stated. “We need more companies showing leadership on issues in this way, which is why we are excited at the prospect of continuing to work with Mars to grow our impact in a way that delivers more for the company, whilst putting farmers first."
Rainforest Alliance said they all agree there needs to be a change on the ground for farmers, their families and forests.
"We commend Mars for deepening their commitment to cocoa producers, and for recognising that step-change in action on the ground is needed,” said Britta Wyss Bisang, chief of sustainable supply chains for the Rainforest Alliance. “We look forward to furthering our relationship with Mars as this is well aligned with our new strategy, which puts more focus on collaboration between producers, NGO's, companies and governments."
Sheridan Randall, 27th September 2018
