Initial results of the first Cocoa Life progress report suggest the Mondelez cocoa sustainability program is making significant strides in the well-being of Ghanaian cocoa communities. Since 2009, Cocoa Life farmers have seen tripled income and a 37 percent increase in cocoa yields compared with control communities.
Released in February 2016, the report highlights the wide-ranging efforts and impact across the company’s six cocoa-growing communities – Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Indonesia, Dominican Republic, India and Brazil.
Data collected in 2014 by a Harvard University research team show the results of the program in Ghana. The research team measured and verified the effects of Cocoa Life across a range of indicators such as farm income, benefits for women and youths, and environmental impact. Its data was compared to baseline data collected in 2009.
In addition to the impact information from Ghana, the report includes data from a needs assessment of the five additional countries where Cocoa Life is in place, and identifies key areas that will be targeted and measured for improvement.
For over five years, Praxis Mutual Funds® led shareholder dialogues on child labor and cocoa sustainability with major chocolate companies – including Mondelez – that have resulted in farmer-focused programs, such as Cocoa Life. The programs address the inter-related issues of farmer income, agricultural practices and child labor, and it is critical that chocolate companies provide data showing their effectiveness.
Mondelez is the largest chocolate company in the world and includes brands such as Cadbury, Milka and Toblerone.