Our Commitment Towards Sustainable Cocoa
We are aware of the industry’s challenges and understand the significant roles and responsibilities of traders. We believe that, together with our partners and clients, we can move the industry forward and make the transition to a sustainable cocoa sector, a sector in which farming communities, cocoa businesses, and the environment can thrive. ​
Our Project in Ecuador
Albrecht & Dill was a pioneer in the industry to implement a sustainability project, including full traceability, in Ecuador.
The project started in 2011 in cooperation with GiZ, Germany's main agency for international cooperation and development. The immense support from A&D Sanchez, our local partner in Ecuador, has made the project very successful. We expanded the project in 2015 with our partner Lindt und Sprüngli. Customers like Baronie and Frey have also benefited from our program in Ecuador.
Many farmers have passed through our training programs. This has helped them professionalize their farms, produce superior quality cocoa beans and grow their income. The overall project continues to date, and we look forward to further applying lessons learned in new projects in other places where we source our beans, together with our partners.
Our Focus Areas
In 2020 we took steps to increase our sustainability efforts further. We started by mapping out the risks in our supply chains, taking into consideration the environment, the people we work with, and their communities. This helped us to define a strategy that fits our company’s value to achieve a higher impact while staying true to ourselves. We then chose to prioritize our focus in 3 areas:
1. Resilient farmers and communities
2. Improve income
3. Enhanced farming practices and reducing negative environmental impact
These areas encompass, amongst other things, helping farmers to obtain a higher income, promoting gender equality, tackling the root causes of child labour, combatting deforestation, and reducing farmer dependency on the use of pesticides. We also made commitments for 2030 connected to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs serve as a guiding compass for implementation as well as reporting on impact and our performance in the coming years.
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Want to know more about our sustainability work? Want to collaborate with us? Talk to us at: sustainability@albrecht-dill.de
Our Ambitions for 2030
We want to positively impact the quality of life of our cocoa farmers, their communities, and the environment in the countries we source our cocoa. The world of cocoa looks very different today than it did years ago. Stronger regulations, a need for more traceability, and increased consumer awareness requires continued strides in sustainability. This is very important for Albrecht & Dill. Our long-term goal is to achieve a sustainable cocoa industry.
Our goals for the next decade are:
By 2030
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To have a sustainable farmer school program in place across our supply chains.
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To source 100% sustainable and traceable volume.
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To reduce our carbon footprint by 50%.
Our Work on the Ground
Sustainability is a process, not a status, and it takes time and continuous improvement. There is no one-size-fits-all solution as each supply chain comes with its challenges. Together with our customers, we are establishing projects, which fit with our focus areas and long-term goals.
Our Sustainability Reports
Our Sustainability Reporting highlights the steps we have taken to integrate sustainability into every aspect of our operations, and how we are aligning our business with the broader goal of creating a positive impact on society and the planet.
2022
2023
