The Road to Bonn

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World Cocoa Foundation et. al. commit to end deforestation

The Road to Bonn

Story
Barry Callebaut committed to become carbon and forest positive under its Forever Chocolate sustainability strategy. This week, together with other leading chocolate and cocoa companies, we committed to end deforestation - with the support of non-governmental organizations such as the Prince of Wales' International Sustainability Unit (ISU).
World Cocoa Foundation, Prince Charles et. al. commit to end deforestation

Initiated by the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF), the Dutch Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) and the Prince of Wales’ International Sustainability Unit (ISU), 12 of the world's leading chocolate and cocoa companies - including Barry Callebaut - published yesterday their commitment to end deforestation and forest degradation in key cocoa growing countries. As both countries make for nearly 60% of the world's cocoa crop, the initiative will specifically focus on Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.

In the coming months the pledging parties will work out a monitoring and reporting framework tracking every company's deforestation commitments and investments. This will be presented end this year at the COP 23 United Nations climate discussions in Bonn (Germany).  

Committed to becoming carbon and forest positive with #ForeverChocolate

Deforestation is a major cause for climate change, responsible for 20% (!) of CO2 emissions in the world. Climate change affects everyone and everything.  For example, it has a negative effect on the yield of important food crops, including cocoa. This is exactly why Barry Callebaut committed under its sustainability strategy Forever Chocolate to become carbon and forest positive by 2025 . Not acting is not an option if we want to continue to enjoy chocolate.

World Cocoa Foundation, Prince Charles et. al. commit to end deforestation

COP 23 - moving from words to action!

COP 23 is an important meeting which will focus on putting the words of the Paris Climate Agreement, concluded December 2015, into concrete, measurable actions. This applies as much to industry, as it does to the over 160 countries that have submitted their plans on how they intend to reduce CO2 emissions in the coming years. The successful implementation of these country plans is pivotal in creating an enabling environment to scale up the impact of industry’s efforts to fight deforestation and climate change, i.e. by incentivizing climate smart agriculture, effective enforcement of deforestation legislation and supporting sustainably sourced raw materials.

We are ready to play our part - as no one can do it alone

Industry, governments and other stakeholders have to work closely together to make COP 23 a success. Barry Callebaut is ready to play its part. More to follow in the coming months.  

Christiaan Prins

Christiaan Prins

VP Corporate Communications for Barry Callebaut. Believer in the urgent business case for sustainability. Married, father of two. Ph.D. in political science. Cyclist, sailer and Fender Strat player.

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