Cocoa Certification and Evidence Guide
A Guide to Cocoa Certification and Evidence
Please watch this video for a guide to the cocoa certification standards and evidence requested for this years reporting. Included in the video are examples of evidence claims and common issues seen with evidence claims.
Background
- According to the World Resource Institute, global forest loss driven by cocoa expansion is estimated to be around 2.3 million hectares from 2001 and 2015.
- Efforts by governments and NGOs to address issues over the last decade have had limited success.
The complex nature of these supply chains makes it difficult to address the issues. Therefore certification has been used a method to address the social and environmental issues prevalent in the cocoa industry
What is Certification?
Chain of Custody Models
- Chain of custody refers to the process by which materials, in this case cocoa, and associated information are transferred, monitored, and controlled as they move through each step in a supply chain. There are three commonly recognised types of chain of custody models:
- Identity preserved (3rd Party Verified Supply Chain) - ensures the identity of the cocoa is maintained throughout its supply chain.
- Segregated (3rd Party Verified Supply Chain) - certified cocoa is kept physically separate from uncertified cocoa.
- Mass balance - certified and uncertified cocoa are mixed at any stage of the supply chain
Certification Schemes for Cocoa
Certification within Cocoa supply chains focus primarily on mass balance systems, with full chain of custody requirements, and farmer organisation level certification. Premiums provided for farmers are the main driver for change.
There are 3 main types of Cocoa certification schemes:
- Voluntary independent (Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, Organic)
- Own label (Cocoa Life, and Cocoa Plan)
- Trader Proprietary (Cemoi Transparency)
UTZ & Rainforest Alliance merged in 2018.
Table 1 summarizes the certification schemes that were judged by the Accountability Framework Initiative to provide credible deforestation- or conversion-free assurance as well as the accepted chain of custody models. The list has been produced using desk-based research and consultation.
Table 1
Certification Evidence
When completing the declaration form, please enter the final manufacturing site name along with Rainforest Alliance and/or Fairtrade Site Certification Number where possible. The certification claims will then be verified via the appropriate bodies websites.
Once verified this information will be fed to your clients who have you reported on behalf of so they can understand the sustainability progress of their supplies and make informed decisions going forward.
Contact 3Keel
For support throughout this process please do engage with the resources on the Knowledge Base and reach out to us at support.3Keel@mondra.com. We are also available on 01993 764 710 extension 400.
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