Deforestation

To contribute to ending deforestation and forest degradation, Lindt & Sprüngli has committed to ensure to not source any cocoa from protected areas and to avoid conversion of valuable forest land for cocoa production in our supply chain by 2025.

To this end, we have developed a “No-Deforestation & Agroforestry Action Plan”, which covers all origins we source our cocoa from.

Adapted to the respective local contexts, our activities defined in the Action Plan are targeted at the following main goals:

1. No cocoa sourcing from protected areas as per local laws
2. No expansion of land for cocoa cultivation into areas defined by the High Carbon Stock Approach or equivalent
3. Agroforestry systems for cocoa production
4. Supporting (community) forest protection, and reforestation

By 2025 we aim for the Action Plan to cover our entire cocoa supply.

Cocoa-driven deforestation is of particular relevance in West Africa, where most cocoa is grown. Working towards no-deforestation and agroforestry requires commitments from all actors with influence on the forest landscapes. Implementing effective measures is a shared responsibility and requires coordinated and collaborative efforts of governments, companies, and civil society organizations. As part of the activities to implement our Action Plan, we became a signatory of the Cocoa & Forest Initiative (CFI), a regional public-private partnership, in 2017.

In addition to our activities to address deforestation and promote agroforestry, the fostering of biodiversity using ecologically sound cultivation methods and the promotion of cocoa diversity are also key elements of the Lindt & Sprüngli Sustainability Plan and Farming Program.