FERRERO MAINTAINS MOMENTUM IN HELPING END DEFORESTATION IN COCOA
Ferrero has published its second annual report on activities implemented during 2019/20 under the Cocoa & Forests Initiative (CFI). The report highlights Ferrero's substantial progress towards ending deforestation and preserving forests in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana as part of their partnership with the governments of these countries and other leading cocoa and chocolate companies.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic's disruption, Ferrero has already achieved over 50% of its 2022 targets with two remaining years. Ferrero plans to exceed these targets in critical areas such as polygon mapping farms for traceability, expanding deforestation risk assessment coverage, promoting agroforestry, and supporting Village Savings and Loans Associations.
“Through the Cocoa & Forests Initiative, we are working to ensure that forests are protected and preserved. We have also implemented extensive activities to support farmers and communities economically and socially,” said Marco Gonçalves, Chief Procurement & Hazelnut Company Officer at Ferrero.
“A critical component to enable us to do this is having full visibility of our supply chain. This is why we are proud of our strong progress on tracing our cocoa and mapping the farms we source from, ensuring that our cocoa does not come from protected areas.” He further added.
Ferrero recently announced that its cocoa is 100% sourced through independent sustainability standards like the Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade. In addition, Ferrero has achieved 91% traceability (according to the 2019/20 CFI definition) from farm to first purchase point for their directly sourced cocoa, and publicly disclosed the farmer groups they source from as part of their transparency commitment.
Ferrero’s second progress report marks the halfway point for its four-year CFI action plan launched in 2019. Ferrero is proud to have built on the progress it has made over previous years and has surpassed many of its goals, particularly on the following CFI indicators:
In 2019-2020, We made the following progress,
- Mapped over 123,000 farms in both Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, far exceeding the 2022 target of 100,872
- Distributed 900,000 improved cocoa plant seedlings
- Trained over 100,000 farmers in Good Agricultural Practices, more than 30,000 ahead of the 2022 target
- Carried out deforestation risk assessments covering a total of 233,332 hectares and already exceeded the 2022 target by 93,686 hectares
- 48,306 hectares of cocoa agroforestry are now in development, ahead of the 2022 target
- 525 active Village Savings and Loans Associations. Group membership has already reached over 13,000, more than three times the 2022 target
Ferrero is also significantly accelerating work on indicators where there is more to do to achieve the 2022 targets, particularly the distribution of trees for on-farm planting and off-farm reforestation activities.
"Extensive progress is being made, and it’s positive that CFI signatory companies have a clear sense of urgency to increase collective action and to see greater engagement and alignment between industry and origin governments. However, it is essential to ensure that all stakeholders deliver on commitments made to continue the positive trend that has seen declines in deforestation in cocoa-growing areas. This will be critical for the success of CFI over the coming years.” Marco Gonçalves, concluded.
The Ferrero CFI action plan is embedded in Ferrero’s cocoa sustainability strategy, the Ferrero Farming Values Cocoa Program. Read more: Cocoa | Ferrero Group
