The International Cocoa Initiative promotes child protection in cocoa-growing communities. We work to ensure a better future for children and their families.
ICI calls for massive expansion of effort in fight against child labour to reach all those in need
Child labour in cocoa remains a significant challenge despite extensive efforts to tackle it over the past two decades. While we have made great strides in understanding how to successfully reduce child labour and in implementing activities that have real impact, support currently reaches only a fraction of those in need. At ICI, we believe that true sector-wide change will onl...
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ICI’s 2019 annual report: Learning from impact, innovating to scale up
To mark the World Day Against Child Labour, the International Cocoa Initiative launches its 2019 Annual Report. Showing progress from last year, but also examining the results of longer running efforts to tackle child labour, the report shows that significant impact is possible when resources are invested, but it also underlines that sector-wide scale up is more important than...
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ICI publishes awareness-raising materials to support fight against child labour
During a time of global crisis that is increasing the risk of child labour in West Africa and beyond, the International Cocoa Initiative has published a collection of awareness-raising tools designed to support the fight against child labour.
“A boy your age should not be doing this kind of dangerous work, especially without an adult to watch over you,” so begins the animate...
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ECLIC reduces hazardous child labour among supported households in 50 Ivorian communities
Last year, the Eliminating Child Labor in Cocoa-Growing Communities in Côte d’Ivoire (ECLIC) reached its conclusion. The project saw several key results: a substantial decrease in hazardous child labour among supported children; increased awareness of child labour and the importance of school; increased community empowerment, and improved access to quality education.
Beginni...
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Where we are working
Click the green symbols to visit the ICI core programme communities, and the yellow symbols to visit the ECLIC communities.
Cocoa News
EU REPORTER - On 22 September, the European Commission began an initiative to improve sustainability in the cocoa sector. A new multi-stakeholder dialogue will bring together representatives of Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana – the two main cocoa producing countries accounting for 70% of global cocoa production – as well as representatives of the European Parliament, EU member states, cocoa growers and civil society. Read More
JUST FOOD - For almost 20 years, attempts to tackle the issue of child labour in cocoa production have over-promised and under-delivered. As the multi-stakeholder International Cocoa Initiative launches an ambitious five-year strategy, Ben Cooper examines why this time things could be different. Read More
FOOD INGREDIENTS FIRST - Barry Callebaut has reached a new milestone in its plan to build a sustainable cocoa supply chain by disclosing its direct cocoa suppliers in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Cameroon. The map shows the location of cooperatives and buying stations where Barry Callebaut is directly sourcing cocoa. By publicly sharing this information, the cocoa and chocolate giant says it’s boosting transparency and traceability in its cocoa supply chain. Read More
VOICE OF AMERICA - Experts say an international convention universally ratified in August will give children legal protection against the worst forms of child labor. In Ghana, children are still used in hazardous labor, especially in fisheries and the cocoa industry. One Ghanaian non-governmental organization is making a difference by rescuing children from work and getting them into school. Read More
CONFECTIONERY NEWS - Striving to create fairer conditions for farmers in major producing nations serving the confectionery sector remains at the core of World Cocoa Foundation’s (WCF) values. It was 20 years ago this month that the not-for-profit organisation was bestowed with its present title, having been set up just a few years earlier by the US Chocolate Manufacturers’ Association and its related group, the American Cocoa Research Institute. Read More
FOOD INGREDIENTS FIRST - Consumers are increasingly keen to learn more about the bean-to-bar journey of cocoa products. To meet this end, traceable technology and cooperation throughout the supply chain help improve the quality of cocoa, strengthen farmer relationships and improve ingredient sourcing monitorization. FoodIngredientsFirst examines future perspectives of investing in traceability, the impact of brand storytelling and the pros and cons of transparency with experts from Cargill and Olam. Read More
THE COCOA POST - Cash has been the common traditional payment for cocoa bean purchases. Unarguably, a lot of risk is associated with cash transactions along the cocoa supply chain. Read More
CONFECTIONERY NEWS - Three European platforms for sustainable cocoa, The German Initiative on Sustainable Cocoa (GISCO), the Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa (SWISSCO) and the Belgian platform Beyond Chocolate have signed a 'Memorandum of Understanding' to instigate change in the sector's value chain. Read More
CONFECTIONERY PRODUCTION - Three key groups including the German Initiative on Sustainable Cocoa (GISCO), Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa (SWISSCO) and the Belgian platform Beyond Chocolate have united to deliver on supporting key communities in the cocoa supply chain. Read More
CONFECTIONERY NEWS - Chocolate and confectionery make The Hershey Company reached a milestone in its CSR strategy in January when 100% of the cocoa it sources was certified sustainable. FoodNavigator speaks to the company's director of global sustainability and social impact Jeff Kind about progress to date and the road ahead. Read More
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