Barry Callebaut gains hazelnut sustainability recognition, as Forever Chocolate project continues
A significant sustainability milestone has been achieved by Barry Callebaut in its drive to improve sourcing standards for its hazelnut supplies used in chocolate products, as it gains a Silver and Bronze equivalency under the Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) scheme, writes Neill Barston.
As the company noted, the industry compliance initiative, which is led by the SAI Platform, rates businesses and examines how they can enhance their environmental practices across agricultural supply chains.
Furthermore, the FSA evaluates environmental, social, and economic factors to guide responsible sourcing decisions, with cocoa, as well as hazelnut supply chains coming under significant pressure in recent years due to ongoing issues of child labour, climate resilience and pricing (particularly in cocoa), which saw prices rise to $12,000 a tonne at the start of this year, though these have dipped to just over $8,000 this month.
For its part, the Swiss-headquartered company has moved to deliver farmer-focused sustainability initiatives, including offering a 2025 target date of lifting 500,000 farmers out of poverty under its Forever Chocolate scheme linked to its cocoa supply chain. This was reportedly rated against the World Bank’s $1.90 a day wages threshold for extreme poverty, which it has aimed to achieve through agricultural coaching, access to finance and better quality crop seedlings.
The scheme, which was established in 2016, was enhanced in 2023 with updated goals working to a renewed timetable of 2030. This is founded on four central principles including helping deliver prosperous farmers, human rights, thriving nature and sustainable ingredients.
To date, against its target of assisting 500,000 agricultural workers this year, it has reported that 475,752 cocoa farmers in our supply chain lifted out of poverty, which has also included the scale-up of its paid labour group programme that covers 44,000 hectares. In addition, 197,763 cocoa farmers have received farm service activities, and the business has also distributed 3.2 million cocoa seedlings distributed in 2023/24.
As for its latest hazelnut supply chain certification, this is directly linked to its Forever Chocolate programme, with a Sustainable Hazelnut Charter central to a commitment to achieving 100% sustainably sourced raw materials by 2030. As Barry Callebaut asserted, through these efforts, it is continuing to work on its standards in regards to upholding human rights, as well as its environmental sustainability, and farmer wellbeing.
There remains considerable work to be done in regard to child labour in particular, with International Labour Organisation research within recent years stating that 1.5 million children are exposed to the worst forms of labour practices in Ivory Coast, which include heavy manual labour and use of machetes for harvesting work, which should remain adult workforce responsibilities. But with many farmers remaining on sub $2 a day wages that are below international poverty lines, many cocoa farmers have been unable to employ agricultural employees over 18.
In terms of the Sustainable Hazelnut Charter, the company explained that this outlines comprehensive criteria for sustainable sourcing, supported by third-party verification to ensure independence and provide greater assurance to customers. Developed in collaboration with SureHarvest, the Charter emphasises continuous improvement with suppliers in both environmental and social sustainability. It was tested during the 2024 hazelnut harvest in Turkey and audited by an independent third party to enhance future implementation.
According to the company, recognising the risks of child labour and forced labour in certain hazelnut-growing regions, the Charter follows the OECD human rights due diligence approach, requiring the establishment of a management system to assess and address adverse environmental and social impacts within the business and its supply chain. This includes implementing prevention, mitigation, and remediation measures to promote responsible sourcing. Additionally, this initiative supports the goal of achieving full OECD Due Diligence coverage across the supply chain by 2025.
By achieving equivalence with widely recognised industry standards like FSA, the company sets a clear benchmark for sustainability across the hazelnut industry, providing customers with assurances of ongoing improvements on farms.
Joe Iveson, FSA Manager at SAI Platform, commented: “Congratulations to Barry Callebaut who has become the first SAI Platform member company to achieve FSA benchmarked status for a hazelnut-specific sustainability sourcing program. This is a significant milestone, but one that reflects Barry Callebaut’s tireless work in improving the sustainability of hazelnut production in Turkey. For growers, this brings extra validation of their efforts, whilst it allows Barry Callebaut to demonstrate its continued commitment towards fostering more sustainable value chains.”
Sonja Frommenwiler, Head of Responsible Sourcing, Barry Callebaut asserted that its sustainability practices are at the core of its work, as it seeks to deliver long-term change across its supply chains.
She said: “We believe that long-term sustainability goes hand in hand with creating value for farmers, employees, shareholders, customers, suppliers, and the communities we work with. Sustainability is deeply embedded in our business, and our ‘Forever Chocolate’ strategy is designed to drive lasting, positive impact across the cocoa and chocolate supply chain. The Sustainable Hazelnut Charter is a key part of this commitment, helping us build a more resilient and responsible industry.”
