Challenges of the cocoa sector

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More than 40% of the world's cocoa comes from Côte d'Ivoire (FAO 2020), where cocoa production has an opaque supply chain that is rarely traceable back to the farms. In general, farmers sell their cocoa to cooperatives or intermediaries who then sell it to larger-scale local buyers, many of whom operate without a license. International traders can then purchase directly from cooperatives and licensed buyers, or indirectly from other local intermediaries.

Despite protective regulations, cocoa farming is identified as a global driver of deforestation. From 2010 to 2019, deforestation and land degradation caused by cocoa in Côte d'Ivoire reached 2.4 million hectares, accounting for 45% of the total national forest degradation. Even when sourced directly, only 44% of cocoa exports from Côte d'Ivoire can be traced back to cooperatives (Figure 1, Renier, 2022), making it difficult for chocolate companies to meet their sustainable sourcing goals (Nitidae and EFI, 2021).

The role of WeLOOP

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As part of this, WeLOOP conducted a Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) in collaboration with Colruyt Group Smart Innovation for their 'Boni Côte d'Ivoire 72% Dark Chocolate' tablet. While environmental LCA focuses on environmental impacts, social LCA highlights human well-being, working conditions, and effects on stakeholders such as workers, local communities, consumers, and society. What is particularly notable in this project is the close collaboration with cocoa farmers, who were directly involved in the Social LCA. Interviews were conducted with 22 farmers from the two villages included in the project to cross-reference the results from various stakeholders. This approach helped analyse the social impacts on the group of workers, providing a more accurate and objective view of the real impacts of the cocoa supply chain project.

The results of the Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA)

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The results show that improvements in the social well-being of cocoa farmers are observed through various actions by stakeholders, mainly through projects aimed at improving general infrastructure, direct purchasing from farmers with fair remuneration, and various training programs aimed at diversifying farmers' incomes and adapting to challenges induced by climate change.

The results of this social LCA could be used as a roadmap to improve the social performance of the product, as well as in planning the extension of the cocoa supply chain project to other products. With its comprehensive overview of social implications, social LCA enables informed decision-making that takes social sustainability into account. By identifying areas requiring improvements in working conditions, community relations, and overall social impacts, it could be used as a tool to:

Improve the overall social performance of a product.

Guide the development of policies and strategies.

Manage risks by highlighting areas of social risk and poor social practices.

Facilitate transparent communication with stakeholders and market differentiation.

Thus, integrating Social LCA with Environmental LCA in decision-making processes provides a sustainability approach that balances social, environmental, and economic considerations.