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. It's a persistent and complex challenge in West African cocoa production, that requires collaboration among stakeholders.

At Lindt & Sprüngli, addressing child labor is a priority. In 2021, we developed a CLMRS Guidance Document, which describes our prevention, monitoring and remediation approach to child labor. With the integration of a CLMRS into our Farming Program, we set out clear targets related to the protection of children’s rights in supplier contracts and include resources for CLMRS implementation. For suppliers not involved in our Program, we rely on CLMRS guidance, implementation and verification through Rainforest Alliance certification.

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. The coalition is led by the Ivorian Government in collaboration with the cocoa and chocolate industry. Joining CLEF includes a financial commitment to invest 1.25 million CHF in the initiative.

Read more on the protection of children's rights in the latest Sustainability Report.