Protection of children's rights
Child labor in cocoa farming is a systemic issue rooted in poverty, lack of awareness, a shortage of adult labor and an absence of educational facilities in cocoa-producing villages. In agricultural value chains, especially in the cocoa sector in West African countries, it is a persistent and complex challenge that requires intense, continuous, and collaborative efforts from all stakeholders active in the sector.
At Lindt & Sprüngli, addressing child labor is a priority and we are firmly committed to avoiding it whenever possible. In 2021, we developed our own CLMRS Guidance Document, which describes our prevention, monitoring and remediation approach to child labor in more detail. With the implementation of a CLMRS that meets our requirements as an integral part of the Farming Program, we set out clear targets related to the protection of children’s rights in contracts for suppliers, including resources dedicated to CLMRS implementation. For suppliers not involved in our Program, we rely on CLMRS guidance, implementation and verification through Rainforest Alliance certification.
By 2025, we aim for 100% of our cocoa volume from child labor risk countries to be covered by a Child Labor Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS) that is being rolled out or is implemented. In 2023, a total of 66.1% of cocoa from child labor risk countries was sourced from locations where this was the case.
To strengthen our collective action on child labor prevention, we belong to the Child Learning and Education Facility (CLEF). CLEF is a coalition dedicated to enhancing access to and the quality of education in cocoa-growing regions of Côte d'Ivoire by constructing school infrastructure, training teachers in effective educational practices, and engaging parents in their children’s learning. The coalition is led by the Ivorian Government in collaboration with the cocoa and chocolate industry and philanthropic foundations. Joining CLEF includes a financial commitment to invest 1.25 million CHF in the initiative.
