Nestlé lays out action plan to help end deforestation and restore forests in the cocoa supply chain

Nestlé today laid out an action plan (pdf, 800Kb) to help end deforestation and restore forests in its cocoa supply chain in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. This plan is part of the company’s commitment to support the Cocoa & Forests Initiative, a new public-private partnership bringing together the governments of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana and the cocoa and chocolate industry. Nestlé today also disclosed its cocoa suppliers to increase transparency.

Nestlé is fully committed to achieving deforestation-free commodities by 2020. The company is strengthening transparency and traceability in its supply chain and is already using a combination of tools, including certification, supply chain mapping and satellite imagery. The Nestlé Cocoa & Forests Action Plan, alongside the disclosure of Nestlé’s cocoa suppliers in Ghana (pdf, 500Kb) and Côte d'Ivoire (pdf, 500Kb), will accelerate the company’s journey to stop deforestation.

Alexander von Maillot, Head of Confectionery Strategic Business Unit, Nestlé S.A., said: "Cocoa grown illegally in protected areas has no place in our supply chain. We are working to stop deforestation and the destruction of other natural habitats from our agricultural commodity supply chains, including cocoa. Addressing the issue of deforestation in cocoa is complex and is a shared responsibility. We welcome the Cocoa & Forests Initiative, which brings together all the relevant stakeholders and are determined to contribute to a sustainable cocoa sector where the protection of the environment is aligned with the social and economic development of cocoa farmers and producing countries."

Read the full press release