Our sustainable cocoa journey
Over 20 years of sustainability in action, supporting farmers and cocoa-growing communities in nine countries around the world, in collaboration with our customers and partners. Since the launch of our Cocoa Compass strategy, we've been expanding our sustainable sourcing and measuring our progress against our 2018 baseline.
Our global impact so far
sourcing countries
K+
farmers receiving livelihood support
farmers earning a living income
million
Beneficial trees distributed for agroforestry programs* *(cumulative)
%
Reduction in GHG natural capital costs
+
School kits distributed to support children's education
Lessons, innovation & the future of cocoa sustainability
From the heart of growing regions to global processing facilities, our journey has been shaped by a deep commitment to sustainability, traceability and collaboration, to create quality cocoa, from plant to palate – striving to be the preferred partner for change. Find out more from our Head of Global Cocoa Sustainability, Andrew Brooks.
Our key milestones over the past 20 years
Our key milestones over the past 20 years
2004
Implemented our first cocoa quality improvement initiative in Indonesia, which evolved into our first dedicated customer sustainability program, which was replicated across West Africa, in Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana Nigeria, and Cameroon.
2005
Expanded our quality improvement initiative to Cote d’Ivoire. In the same year, we introduced the first professionalized farmer cooperative structure into our cocoa supply chain in the country. This coop started to produce artisanal cocoa, which was cleaned by hand and dried on raised beds in a solar drier.
2007
Formalized our first dedicated cocoa sustainability program with partners in the 2007/2008 crop season in Cote d’Ivoire. It expanded on the existing quality improvement activities to also include training on good agricultural practices, good labor practices and distributing premiums to farmers. We also worked with The National Rural Agency for Rural Development - l’Agence Nationale d’Appui au Développement Rural (ANADER) to promote awareness of the risk of child labor, and community health relating to HIV.
2010
Olam Livelihood Charter (OLC) was created as a framework to improve the viability and well-being smallholder farmers based on 8 principles: finance, improved yields, market access, quality, social investment, labor practices, environmental impact, and traceability. Find out more.
In the same year we received our first Rainforest Alliance certification for cocoa in Cote d’Ivoire. This was shortly followed by Ghana and Nigeria. We can now deliver Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa in all nine of our sustainable cocoa sourcing countries.
2012
Joined the Fair Labor Association’s Agriculture Program, with annual independent assessments starting in 2013. This led to the implementation of the Child Labor Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS) in our direct global cocoa supply chain.
2014
ofi farmer information system was developed to collect data, manage training activities, and track financing, input distribution and purchases precisely to better provide support to farmers. This formed the foundation of tracing our cocoa in our direct supply chain back to the farm or cooperative.
2017
Joined as a founding signatory for the Cocoa and Forest Initiative at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP23) to address deforestation. It was hosted by the Prince of Wales (now King Charles III), with the governments of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana and cocoa and chocolate companies.
2020
Developed the first-ever living income reference values for Cameroon, Nigeria, and Papua New Guinea, in collaboration with Sustainable Food Lab, the Global Living Wage Coalition, the Anker Research Network and the Living Income Community of Practice.
Hear from our partners
Over the last 20 years we've collaborated with customers, civil society, donor partners and governments to deliver impact in our global cocoa supply chain.
Nicholas Jengre, Country Director, Rainforest Alliance Ghana
"At the Rainforest Alliance, we believe that eliminating child labor requires bold partnerships and innovative solutions. That’s why we joined forces with ofi on a pioneering pilot program that merges two powerful systems, our 'Assess-and-Address' approach and ofi’s Child Labor Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS), to confront child labor head-on in twenty villages across Ghana.
This collaborative effort is not just about systems, it’s about impact. Together, we have laid the groundwork for a credible and responsive human rights framework that identifies risks early, enables timely interventions, and empowers communities through the formation of child protection committees at the grassroots level.
We’ve also developed practical training materials to ensure certification managers and village-based Assess-and-Address committees are equipped to bring these tools to life in their communities. Because real change happens when local actors understand, own, and lead the process.
Our partnership with ofi demonstrates what’s possible when organizations unite with purpose. We are proud of what we’ve achieved together and remain committed to working towards a future where no child is exploited for labor in Ghana or anywhere else."