Traceability and verification
Our traceability approach
Since the introduction of our Farming Program in 2008, physical traceability of cocoa has been the starting point of our responsible cocoa supply chain. Traceability is a key principle of our cocoa sourcing strategy. To establish traceability from farm to first point of purchase, all farmers are registered, farm GPS point coordinates are taken, and baseline data about the farm and household is collected. We aim to achieve first mile traceability for 100% of cocoa products – beans, butter, powder, and chocolate mass – by 2025. We take a differentiated approach for cocoa beans and cocoa butter, due to their different supply chain characteristics.
Traceability
Cocoa beans
For cocoa beans, Lindt & Sprüngli follows the "identity preserved" traceability approach. This means our cocoa beans are traceable from the farm, where we work directly with long-term dedicated farmer groups, to our factory doors. Each delivery of cocoa beans to Lindt & Sprüngli is accompanied by a traceability certificate to ensure that we purchase cocoa beans from farmers who are part of the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program.
Cocoa butter
The beans supplied by the Lindt & Sprüngli farmer groups are mixed at supplier level, with beans from other farmer groups who also have a sustainability program in place. This means that while all the cocoa butter delivered to Lindt & Sprüngli from a sustainability program originates from a sustainability program, we are not guaranteed that the cocoa beans delivered by dedicated farmer groups to the suppliers will end up in the cocoa butter we purchase. With this segregation model, cocoa from conventional sources and from sustainability programs are strictly separated and the origin of delivered butter batches are known when delivered to Lindt & Sprüngli.
Cocoa powder
For cocoa powder, "segregation" is more difficult to achieve due to product complexity and quality specifications. Therefore, we aim to source all volumes with a Rainforest Alliance “mass balance” certification at a minimum. In 2023, the first volumes of Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa powder were sourced. Once all of our subsidiaries hold the Rainforest Alliance certification, we will switch to this new minimum requirement.
Our goal is to source all our cocoa products - beans, butter, powder and chocolate mass - through our Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program or other sustainability programs by 2025.
Verification
Our Farming Program builds on the principle of continuous improvement. Our monitoring and evaluation approach is based on multiple elements such as the monitoring of outputs, a review of the Program quality and verification of the Program implementation, and periodic impact assessments. We assess these elements related to both the farm and implementation partner, and carry out checks to verify traceability documents.
Our cocoa sourcing under our Farming Program and other sustainability programs is subject to external verification annually by an independent third party. For cocoa beans, external verification is conducted by the Earthworm Foundation, based on the Farming Program External Assessment Methodology. This enables a mutual learning process and direct engagement of Earthworm Foundation with farmers through individual meetings and focus groups to gather feedback on the support provided as part of the Program.
For cocoa butter, we are currently in the process of transitioning different sustainability programs to Rainforest Alliance certification. Where long-term agreements are in place and our Program is being implemented, certification is not intended to replace our Program, but serves as a basis and external verification scheme.