Sustainable and traceable cocoa: a standard worth biting into

Several days of trekking through the jungle to reach a one-hectare plantation run by the same family for generations: this is how most cocoa farms around the world are organized. These small, isolated plots are typical of this industry, which is seeking sustainability and traceability in order to meet new consumer demands. But what is sustainable cocoa? How can the traceability of raw materials be organized, from the bean to the supermarket, when producers are so scattered?

These questions are now answered by a voluntary international standard with a bitter name, "ISO 34101," but which hides a gem. "The starting point? A shared desire to bring together the entire industry," recalls Sandrine Espeillac, head of the agri-food division at AFNOR Standardization. There was strong demand from consumers for 'responsible' products. With aging cocoa farms and declining appeal amid environmental concerns, all stakeholders wanted to define shared rules for sustainable cocoa."

Deforestation and child labor

It took six years of work to reconcile the sometimes divergent views of the various stakeholders worldwide. "While deforestation is unacceptable from a European perspective, it can be linked to issues of survival from the point of view of producing countries," explains Florence Pradier, secretary general of the Syndicat du Chocolat. In fact, cocoa trees cannot remain in the ground for too long without losing yield (above 20 to 25 years), yet the average age of plantations is 30 years in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire and 45 years in Cameroon, posing a challenge for renewal.

Another example is child labor, which is prohibited in Europe but common in developing countries, particularly on family farms. The participants therefore agreed to use the International Labor Organization conventions as a reference: it is tolerated if it contributes to the family economy, does not interfere with children's schooling, and does not put them in danger. It is a matter of compromise. To support producers in a smooth transition, the voluntary standard defines three thresholds for progress on these sensitive criteria.

The standard ultimately consists of four parts. The first focuses on the cocoa sustainability management system, inspired by ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 14001 (environment) standards. The second defines sustainability criteria, divided into three main categories: environment, economy, and social. The aim is to improve producers' living conditions while respecting the environment. The third part focuses on traceability and ways of ensuring that cocoa beans come from sustainable plantations, in accordance with the criteria set out in the second part. This is a fundamental aspect in a sector characterized by long supply chains and a large number of intermediaries. Finally, the fourth part details the assessment methods.

ISO 34101: a standard to sink your teeth into

"This text marks a major step forward," says Florence Pradier. "It takes into account both upstream issues—producers' living conditions—and downstream issues—consumer expectations—and defines a framework shared by the entire sector and its stakeholders." And what about the labels familiar to consumers, such as organic or fair trade chocolate? "These labels focus on only one aspect of sustainable development: the environment for the organic label and social issues for fair trade labels. In contrast, the voluntary standard encompasses all criteria related to sustainable production systems: economic, environmental, and social," explains Florence Pradier. "The text of the standard may be less specific on certain aspects, but it is broader in scope."

Professionals have already begun to adopt this ISO 34101 standard, published in May 2019 and recently included in the NF collection. We are seeing producers forming cooperatives to improve traceability, which is a real challenge given the sheer number of plantations. And to encourage farmers in their efforts, some manufacturers are committing to paying a premium of $400 per ton of cocoa to producers who meet the criteria of the voluntary standard. Get your tablets ready!

Some figures

• 30 % In Ghana and Ivory Coast, 3 out of 10 children work.
• 20 to 25 years old : the age at which the cacao tree reaches its maximum production. However, the average age of plantations is 30 years in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire and 45 years in Cameroon, posing the challenge of renewal.
• 7 Seven countries produce nearly 90% of the world's cocoa: Ivory Coast (43%), Ghana (19%), Indonesia (7%), Ecuador (6%), Nigeria (5%), Cameroon (5%), Brazil (4%).
• 10 : 90% of farms worldwide are less than 10 hectares in size.

• 6.6 kg : Per capita consumption per year in France

  
  Source: Chocolate Union