What is Fair Trade Cocoa?
What is fair trade?
The term fair trade speaks for itself- it involves trading practices, which are associated with fairness and justice. Products, which fulfil the conditions are certified as Fair Trade and carry a logo on their packaging. But what is considered to be fair trade cocoa and where can we get fair trade chocolate?
Why do we need fair trade cocoa?
A report by the Fairtrade Foundation found that many cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, countries that produce 60 % of the world’s cocoa, are unable to earn sustainable livelihoods, despite the sustainability programmes set up to support farmers.
Who certifies fair trade?
Organizations like the Fair Trade Foundation (Fair Trade International) tackle injustice by requiring companies to pay sustainable prices for cocoa, which are not below the market price. They set social, economic and environmental standards for companies and farmers. This helps prevent poverty, discrimination, exploitation in the farmers’ communities. After accreditation by an independent third party, companies are allowed to put the Fairtrade logo on their products. This indicates that producers are paid a Fairtrade Minimum Price. Other fair trade standards on the European market include Fair for Life, Naturland Fair and the Small Producers' Symbol (SPP).
‘Together we can support the cocoa farmers on the frontlines of the climate crisis to adapt to the changing climate and protect their environment, to strengthen their businesses and improve their communities and to decide on the future for themselves and their children’ (Fairtrade Foundation).
Some countries have their own initiative for sustainable cocoa sourcing- Switzerland (Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa), Germany (the German Initiative on Sustainable Cocoa), The Netherland (The Cocoa Origins Program), Belgium (Beyond Chocolate). Because of this, the import of certified cocoa in these countries has increased.
In 2019, The Fairtrade organization published ‘Craving a Change in Chocolate’, a report that set out a plan of action that showed how governments, chocolate companies, traders, retailers and shoppers can help achieve living incomes for cocoa farmers. They called for the UK Government to start supporting a global initiative of governments and business to enable living incomes in supply chains. In addition, they advised them to make living incomes a priority for UK aid and recognise the importance of fair prices to delivering human rights in supply chains.
Is it difficult to get certified as fair trade?
The route to fair trade certification might not be as easy as companies expect. There are certain legal and non-legal requirements cocoa beans must meet to enter the European market. This includes good agricultural practices, cocoa-free of contaminants, labelling and packaging. In order to access the European market cocoa beans, have to meet the buyer’s quality standards. For cocoa to be labelled as fair trade, it needs to provide authorities with a name or code of the inspection body and a certification number.
It could be difficult to separate fair trace cocoa beans from regular cocoa. That is why some chocolate companies are not certified as fair trade, despite implementing fair trade practices in their chains. They simply do not meet criteria or are unable to prove they do. Others claim to be fair trade but have not been scrutinized by an independent body.
"Will NGOs still be able to resource themselves to play the role of the critical friend? There is potentially a risk there that there is no independent observer - but firms do understand the need that credibility" (BBC, 2016).
The Fairtrade organization has set up a system to ensure that chocolate manufacturers that want to use the logo must buy the precise amount of cocoa they need from Fairtrade farmers that will be used in their final product. This means that even if the beans are later mixed with non-Fairtrade beans, Fairtrade cocoa farmers still get 100% of the benefits.
Is my favourite chocolate fair trade?
Some companies use certification schemes, others develop their own projects. This includes Nestlé (The Nestlé Cocoa Plan), Mars( Cocoa for Generations) Lindt(Farming Program), Barry Callebaut (Forever Chocolate), Cargill (Cocoa Promise), Mondelez (Cocoa life). Cocoa Life, for example, helps cocoa growers in Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Indonesia, India, the Dominican Republic and Brazil to gain knowledge and skills to improve their livelihoods. The programme aims to increase transparency and connect consumers and farmers. It guarantees farmers high-volume purchases, clear terms of trade, and loyalty payments.
‘The big question now is whether other firms will also choose to abandon Fairtrade certification and adopt their own systems of self-regulation. The Fairtrade Foundation does not see Mondelez's move as a threat to its future, and welcomes companies "taking ownership" of their sustainability challenges’ (BBC, 2016).
What’s the difference between fair trade and sustainable cocoa?
It is important to note that there is a difference between sustainable cocoa and fair trade cocoa. There are many sustainability certification schemes. Rainforest Alliance merged with UTZ and became the most widespread certification scheme for cocoa. They work with farmers and focus on conserving biodiversity and transforming land-use and business practices. While they also consider improving farmer livelihoods important, they do not provide them with a minimum price like the Fairtrade Foundation for example. Instead, they require buyers to pay an additional cash payment to certified farms.
What can we do?
We, as consumers, can also contribute to this positive change. By choosing products, which are fair trade, we are making the choice to empower cocoa farmers support themselves and protect the future of cocoa.
There are many chocolate companies that use fair trade cocoa. We have gathered a few in our article ‘Fair Trade Chocolate Companies That Are Making a Difference’: https://cocoachocolategoodness.blogspot.com/2020/10/tonys-chocolony.html
More fair trade brands can be found here:
