Cocoa sourcing

• Nestlé has launched a global Cocoa Plan which represents a £65 million investment over the next 10 years in programmes to address the key economic, social and environmental issues facing cocoa farming communities.
• Nestlé is funding a three year Creating Shared Value programme with three co-operatives of around 3,000 farmers in the Cote D’Ivoire, aiming to improve cocoa farmers’ income, protect the environment, combat child labour, improve school attendance and increase HIV awareness.
• Nestlé is a member of the World Cocoa Foundation, an organisation formed in 2000 to assist cocoa growing communities in developing sustainable cocoa economies.
• Nestlé has inaugurated a new research and development centre in the Ivory Coast which will focus on improving the quality of locally sourced raw materials, including cocoa and coffee. Better quality crops in West Africa will allow Nestlé to source raw materials locally, which in turn will raise the income and the quality of life of local farmers.
• Nestlé is a founder participant in the International Cocoa Initiative, a joint industry, labour union and civil society initiative, that seeks to abolish child labour and abusive labour practices. Nestlé works with governments, labour experts and other industry partners to improve the lives of children and families on cocoa farms by monitoring non-compliance with the International Labour Organisation Child Labour Convention and taking corrective action.
• Nestlé works with the Sustainable Tree Crops Program to help farmers grow cocoa in a productive and sustainable way, as well as developing viable co-operatives. The programme educates farmers on health issues such as HIV/Aids and labour practices.