A vague, brand created standard. Better than nothing, but not worth much
People
4
Environment
4
Animals
N/A
Independently
Verified
What we say
Cocoa life is designed to build confidence for consumers, but what it stands for is quite vague, focused on increasing yields for Mondelez over benefiting workers or the planet.
For example, one of the pillars of the Fairtrade programme was that chocolate-makers had to prove their cocoa was not produced with any child, prison or slave labour. But Cocoa Life, aims for the “reduction in child labour and forced child labour”.
Mondelez created this programme as a watered down version of legitimate and independently assessed programmes. For example, where Fair trade guarantees a ‘minimum price’ for farmers, cocoa life guarantees a ‘fair market price’. The definition of ‘fair’ is up to Mondelez.
‘Training farmers’ equates to vowing approximately 25% of farmers involved in the scheme. Mondelez wants to increase production to meet global demand and that is unlikely to benefit the workers.
What they say
Cocoa Life trains farmers to increase yields and income and adopt good farming practices to protect forests.
It also works to empower workers and combat child labour. Fairtrade sits on the board of Cocoa Life and helps advise.