A group of Dutch and international businesses active in the Dutch cocoa and chocolate sector have joined forces to improve sustainability in cocoa-production. Members of the Dutch Food & Drink Federation (FNLI) and the Association for the Bakery and Confectionery Industry (VBZ), work with government actors, NGOs and businesses from the sector in a public-private partnership.
Improving livelihoods of cocoa farming families
The Dutch Initiative on Sustainable Cocoa (DISCO) aims to structurally improve the living situation of cocoa farmers and their families in important producing countries. Signatories are jointly responsible for reaching three concrete goals: to achieve a living income for households that depend on cocoa production by 2030, to end cocoa-related deforestation and forest degradation by 2025, and to end all forms of child labor by 2025.
Partnership to tackle complex issues
The initiative acknowledges the complexity of the root causes behind the critical social, economic and environmental sustainability issues in cocoa production. Therefore, it is important that stakeholders work together more effectively and efficiently on tackling these problems. Among current activities of the working groups are creating roadmaps and developing a monitoring system.
