Chocolate's Biggest Brands Are Racing Towards Sustainability

Tony's Chocolonely, Ritter Sport, Nestlé and Mars Wrigley are leading the charge towards sustainability in the chocolate industry, as highlighted by the sixth edition of the Chocolate Scorecard.

This initiative, orchestrated by the Australian coalition Be Slavery Free, advocates against modern slavery while evaluating companies on their supply chain traceability, transparency and ethical practices.

The Chocolate Scorecard meticulously assesses various factors: from companies' efforts to ensure farmers earn a living income to their actions against child labour, and initiatives addressing climate change and deforestation.

Additionally, the scorecard evaluates support for agroforestry and the reduction of harmful pesticides, aiming to paint a comprehensive picture of sustainability in the cocoa supply chain.

Fuzz Kitto, Co-Director at Be Slavery Free, highlights the pressing issue of 'cocoa washing', where companies make grand commitments but fall short in execution.

"Consumers today face record chocolate prices and shrinking products," he says. "The least they expect is slavery-free chocolate."

"The Chocolate Scorecard empowers consumers to make informed choices this Easter, urging chocolate companies to move beyond commitments to tangible actions."

Tony's Chocolonely has emerged as a frontrunner, earning the Chocolate Scorecard's Good Egg award.

Joke Aerts, Head of Credible Scaling at Tony's Open Chain, stresses the importance of transparency as a catalyst for change.

"For us, transparency is not just a value—it is essential for driving true transformation in the cocoa industry," she says.

"The Chocolate Scorecard provides a platform for accountability, allowing companies to report on standardised indicators and fostering a competitive environment for genuine progress."

The not-so-sweet reality of the chocolate trade

In stark contrast, Mondelēz International, known for brands like Cadbury and Toblerone, received the Bad Egg award due to its lack of transparency.

The company's failure to provide detailed information stands in stark contrast to its previous 25th place out of 38 major chocolate companies in the fifth edition of the scorecard.

Mars Wrigley, on the other hand, has gained recognition for its commitment to gender equality within the cocoa sector.

"At Mars we understand that advancing gender equality is vital to helping to improve the cocoa sector. Empowering women farmers is vital to strengthening cocoa-growing communities, enhancing household income and forest preservation," says Harper McConnell, Global Vice President-Cocoa Sustainability at Mars Wrigley.

"We're proud of efforts like our long-term collaboration with CARE on the Women for Change program which, as of 2024, reached 101,000 members, 75% of whom are women and resulted in US$20m in total savings and credits and US$13m in loans."

Despite some advancements, the industry as a whole shows only modest improvements in transparency.

While 82% of companies now share information on child labour—a significant rise from 45% in 2023—many challenges persist.

Hazardous child labour conditions remain prevalent, with experts cautioning that reported cases represent less than half of the actual occurrences.

Costs skyrocket while ethical problems continue

Deforestation continues to plague the industry, with over a third of cocoa sourced from deforested or unspecified origins.

The financial struggles of farmers persist, with 84% unable to achieve a living income.

As cocoa prices quadrupled in 2024, the financial strain on the sector intensified. In the UK, for instance, the price of a 1kg bag of Cadbury Easter eggs increased by £3 (US$4) annually since 2023, while product sizes shrank.

This year's scorecard underscores the enduring poverty among farmers and the continued involvement of children in hazardous agricultural practices.

Despite soaring profits funnelled into executive salaries and shareholder dividends, the burden of rectifying these injustices rests heavily on the shoulders of farmers.

The ethical challenges facing the cocoa industry remain daunting, yet the Chocolate Scorecard provides a crucial tool for accountability and progress towards a more sustainable future.

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