Swiss chocolate manufacturer Barry Callebaut has made the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) “A list” for climate reduction efforts in global forestry stewardship. It is one of 24 high-performing companies seleced from 12,000 worldwide.

This is the fourth consecutive year that the company has received an “A-” for its carbon reduction efforts for their Forever Chocolate campaign to make sustainable chocolate the norm by 2025.

“The scale of the risk to businesses from climate change, water insecurity and deforestation can no longer be ignored, and we know the opportunities of action far outweigh the risks of inaction,” says Paul Simpson, CEO of CDP.

“Leadership from the private sector is essential for securing global ambitions for a net-zero, nature positive and equitable world.” 

Data disclosure on ecological footprintBarry Callebaut aims to be carbon and forest positive by 2025. 
More than 590 investors, with over US$110 trillion in assets and 200 major purchasers with US$5.5 trillion in procurement, requested companies to disclose data on environmental impacts, risks and opportunities through CDP’s platform.  

It is an enormous challenge, but the recognition by CDP is testimony to the dedication of our people, every day, to continue to innovate, scale and remain focused on our sustainability efforts,” says Pablo Perversi, chief innovation, sustainability and quality officer and global head of gourmet.

CDP’s annual environmental disclosure and scoring process is seen as the “gold standard” of corporate environmental transparency.

A detailed and independent methodology is used by CDP to assess companies, allocating a score on the levels of disclosure, awareness and management of environmental risks. Companies also have to demonstrate best practices associated with environmental leadership.

On the road to becoming carbon positive
“Taking the lead on environmental transparency and action is one of the most important steps businesses can make, even more so in the year of COP26 and the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report,” outlines Perversi. 

Barry Callebaut aims to be carbon and forest positive by 2025. The company’s climate reduction efforts began in 2016 with the launch of Forever Chocolate, an initiative promoting the production of sustainable chocolate.

Its climate reduction efforts have culminated in the publicly available High Carbon Stock (HCS) map which identifies forests with high conservation value and areas wher deforestation would cause the highest carbon emissions.Barry Callebaut has committed to certifying its carbon insetting for dairy in the chocolate supply chain.  

Hitting the brief on 3 GHG scopes
Barry Callebaut will assess the carbon impact created by its operations, according to scope 1 of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol; the impact generated by the energy it uses (scope 2) and the impact of the whole supply chain (scope 3) which includes production and processing of raw materials sourced. 

The company has also set out to quantify and certify its carbon insetting for dairy in the chocolate supply chain. The use of animal feed additives is effective in reducing methane emissions in dairy cattle.