Nestlé has laid out an action plan to help end deforestation and restore forests in its cocoa supply chain in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. It says the plan is part of the company’s commitment to support the Cocoa & Forests Initiative, a new public-private partnership bringing together the governments of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana and the cocoa and chocolate industry. Nestlé has also disclosed its cocoa suppliers to increase transparency.

Alexander von Maillot, Head of Confectionery Strategic Business Unit, Nestlé S.A., said: “Cocoa grown illegally in protected areas has no place in our supply chain. We are working to stop deforestation and the destruction of other natural habitats from our agricultural commodity supply chains, including cocoa. Addressing the issue of deforestation in cocoa is complex and is a shared responsibility. We welcome the Cocoa & Forests Initiative, which brings together all the relevant stakeholders and are determined to contribute to a sustainable cocoa sector wher the protection of the environment is aligned with the social and economic development of cocoa farmers and producing countries.”

The Nestlé Cocoa & Forests Action Plan focuses on three pillars: forests protection and restoration; sustainable cocoa production and farmers’ livelihoods; and community engagement and social inclusion. It lays out a set of activities the company will implement over the next four years with an emphasis on the cooperatives members of the Nestlé Cocoa Plan in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. The Nestlé Cocoa Plan aims to improve the lives of cocoa farmers and the quality of their products.