Sustainability / Fair Trade Practices

Mars aims to have 100 percent of its cocoa from the Responsible Cocoa program responsibly sourced globally and traceable by 2025. Responsible Cocoa means having systems in place to address deforestation, child labor and higher incomes for farmers. Specifically, Mars expects farms that are part of our Responsible Cocoa program to provide satellite-based GPS locations for farms that supply its cocoa so that we have assurances that such cocoa does not come from protected forest areas.

Mars aims to have 100 percent of its cocoa from the Responsible Cocoa program responsibly sourced globally and traceable by 2025. Responsible Cocoa means having systems in place to address deforestation, child labor and higher incomes for farmers. Specifically, Mars expects farms that are part of our Responsible Cocoa program to provide satellite-based GPS locations for farms that supply its cocoa so that we have assurances that such cocoa does not come from protected forest areas. Mars will work with suppliers and certifiers to enhance the child labor monitoring and remediation programs (CLMRS) deployed in its Responsible Cocoa supply chain, and continue to help improve education in cocoa- growing communities, with a focus on access to and quality of schools. In addition, Mars will work with partners to ensure that the model for premiums the company pays for responsibly-produced cocoa is overhauled to ensure that farmers receive a higher share of the premium.

While this new approach is implemented, Mars will maintain its current certified cocoa levels with the Rainforest Alliance and with Fairtrade and work with both organizations as they continue to strengthen implementation to raise the bar across the cocoa sector.

We get to work directly with more professionalized farmer groups that allow farmers to voice their needs and speak up about their challenges from a more powerful, collective negotiating position. This creates more avenues for them to gain access to credit or inputs like fertilizers and crop protections through suppliers and their certifying organizations. From there, our collaborations with NGOs and others building relationships on the ground in West Africa ensures cocoa farmers receive the tools they need to succeed. Our social investments are driving efforts such as:

Enhanced protection, detection and remediation of child labor. We are scaling our Child Labor Monitoring and Remediation Systems (CLMRS), the leading way to detect, remediate and eliminate child labor, across our entire West African cocoa sourcing supply chain by 2025. This includes engaging trusted members of farmers’ own communities in auditing farmers’ work practices and following up with them to find ways to help them lessen their reliance on the work of children (and keep children in school). Education and skills training for adult workers : To help address the shortages of skilled cocoa- field laborers that contribute to child labor issues.

Specialized guidance on environment- and productivity-related actions to boost farmer income. This includes consultation on things like how to produce more yield on the same plot of farm land, climate–smart farming techniques, agroforestry and crop diversification, as well as training farmers and their families on additional income-generating activities unrelated to farming (with a focus on empowering women to improve their livelihoods).

Improvements in West African children’s nutrition, well-being and educational opportunities through investments in school and classroom development, many interrelated initiatives designed to further address the root causes of child labor. Infrastructure improvements in villages and better pathways for farmers to voice their concerns to local community members who can help them access necessary resources or request new systems or tools that can better their circumstances.

BEST SUSTAINABLE SUPPLIER

Most recently, Mondelēz WTR won ‘Best Sustainable Supplier’ in the global Travel Retail Awards for the Toblerone 100g bar. Made from 100% sustainably sourced cocoa through Mondelēz International’s Cocoa Life program, the chocolate’s packaging prominently features the Cocoa Life logo and has also been designed to be recycled. These consumer-voted awards recognize ingenuity in travel retailing, awarding airports and products following a judging process of consumer blogger and video blogger feedback. Entering the new category in 2021, Mondelēz WTR was the first supplier to receive this recognition.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN SCORECARD

The award is the latest achievement in a year characterized by pioneering initiatives, starting with the development of a Sustainable Design Scorecard for travel retail. The scorecard aims to assist brandowners, retailers and airports in lowering their environmental impact through a Sustainable DNA Rating system that encourages the choice of more authentic materials and considerate construction methods, along with manufacturing decisions that allow for in-store units to be more easily recycled at the end of life. The Mondelēz WTR team has used the scorecard to implement a sustainability framework that informs and validates all their collective design decisions and pushes towards more sustainable retail practices. The average sustainable DNA rating of Toblerone designs has already been reduced by 40%, with a striking new look and feel for the brand.

ZERO-WASTE COCOA LIFE ACTIVATION

In August 2021, WTR launched Mondelēz International’s first zero-waste activation with a multi-brand Cocoa Life umbrella concept. The activation brings the confectionery category leader’s cocoa program to life through the use of creative POS materials created entirely with off-cuts of wood from other units. Generating widespread interest across the industry, it was also the key topic of discussion during a dedicated speaking session at the Virtual Travel Retail Expo in October.

ONE TREE PLANTED COLLABORATION

WTR have also prioritized developing more ethical promotional activities that embed sustainability in in-store brand engagement. Most recently, they teamed up with the non-profit tree planting charity One Tree Planted. The collaboration aims to inspire travelers to be kinder to the planet, with a donation made for every Toblerone purchase in selected locations. The donation value will fund the plantation of one tree in the Andes, supporting both the physical environment and surrounding community.

CARBON-NEUTRAL EXHIBITION BOOTH

In October 2021, Mondelez WTR team returned to the annual Tax Free World Association (TFWA) Exhibition and amp; Conference in Cannes with a carbon-neutral booth. The team proactively took steps to offset the carbon footprint of their travel, accommodation and delivery transport by planting over 3500 trees with One Tree Planted, further underlining their commitment to sustainability at the industry’s most important event.

Today, after almost three years of following a strict process, Valrhona has earned the B Corporation® certification*. This rewards the companies that are the most committed in the world to performance, transparency, and social and environmental responsibility. This distinction is recognition for their sustainable development strategy.

B Corporation® certification highlights the strong points of the transformation policy that Valrhona has been developing for several years. As part of the B Corporation® certification framework, Valrhona has changed its articles of incorporation, adding to them that the company will take into account the impact of its decisions on the planet and stakeholders (employees, clients, suppliers, etc.). The objective is to place social and environmental requirements at the same level as its profits. Several tangible actions have made it possible for Valrhona to go further to obtain this certification.