New UTZ certification for cocoa producers

Producers in the Ivory Coast are participating in the first independent audits in preparation for the UTZ Certified code of conduct ” a programme that sets international standards for responsible cocoa production and sourcing.

The UTZ Certified Good Inside Code of Conduct for Cocoa establishes economic, environmental and social standards are now being independently audited at three farmer co-operatives in the Ivory Coast

The code aims to promote improved farming practices leading to improvements in the quality and yield of cocoa beans, better income for farmers and enhanced sustainability in the supply chain. It sets out standards on food and farm safety, the safe and efficient use of fertilisers, good labour practices, safe and healthy production practices, protection of natural resources and biodiversity and long-term productivity.

The cocoa programme has been developed over the past two years by Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate, Ecom Agroindustrial, Mars and the international development organisation Solidaridad.

US chocolate company Mars Inc has signed a contract this week to buy its first certified beans from a harvest later this year, a move toward its longer-term goal to use sustainably grown cocoa for all of its chocolate by 2020.

It will purchase 100,000 tonnes of UTZ Certified cocoa annually by 2020.
UTZ Certified has become the leading standard for ethically grown coffee and is now developing a certification and traceability program for sustainable cocoa and tea.



In April, Mars also committed to purchasing another 100,000 tonnes of cocoa from Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa farms. “We invite the entire cocoa industry to work towards the broad adoption of sustainable cocoa farming practices,” says Grant Reid, Mars Global Chocolate president.