Major chocolate players sign new cocoa pledge
Mondelez International, Nestlé, Ferrero and Mars have all signed the Abidjan Cocoa Declaration and pledged to create a sustainable cocoa industry that guarantees a fair deal for farmers.
The declaration was made at the World Cocoa Conference, held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast last week.
The pledge commits chocolate makers to cooperatively work towards the economic, environmental and social sustainability of the cocoa economy. The full pledge is available HERE.
All of the top five chocolate manufacturers signed the pledge except Hershey. Barry Callebaut was also among the signatories.
More chocolate companies are expected to sign in the coming days, a spokesperson for the International Cocoa Association told this site.
Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara was present at the World Cocoa Conference along with his wife and first lady Dominique Ouattara, who leads a campaign to eliminate the worst forms of cocoa child labor.
