Traceability and certification
or verification
Our traceability approach
Since the introduction of the Farming Program in 2008, physical traceability of cocoa has been a key principle of our cocoa sourcing efforts. 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.
Traceability
For cocoa beans, Lindt & Sprüngli has a traceable supply chain which is considered as “Mixed Identity Preserved” or “Identity Preserved”. “Identity Preserved” means our cocoa beans are traceable from the first point of purchase to our factory doors, and must be supplied from registered Farming Program farmers. Our suppliers work with designated farmer groups that participate in the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program, and we aim to support these groups over multiple years.
The beans are physically processed and transported separately from all other beans. For the definitions of the different levels of traceability, please refer to the Glossary of our latest Sustainability Report or the Rainforest Alliance website.
For cocoa butter sourced through the Farming Program, we aim for physical traceability based on Rainforest Alliance Certified "Segregated.” Segregated cocoa is strictly separated from conventional cocoa and the origin of delivered butter batches are known when delivered to Lindt & Sprüngli. For further information on traceability of our cocoa butter and cocoa powder, please see our latest Sustainability Report.
Certification or verification
The Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program builds on the principle of continuous improvement. Our monitoring and evaluation approach is based on multiple complementary elements such as target setting, monitoring of outputs, a review of program quality, verification of program implementation, as well as periodic impact assessments. We evaluate these elements related to both the farm and the implementation partner.
Cocoa sourced through the Farming Program or other responsible sourcing programs is subject to certification or annual external verification by an independent third party. We are in the process of transitioning all volumes, including Farming Program volumes, to Rainforest Alliance Certification. In 2024, we completed the process for cocoa butter and started the process of transitioning to Rainforest Alliance Certification for all farmer groups delivering beans via the Farming Program. For not yet certified cocoa beans, the Earthworm Foundation conducts external verification based on the Farming Program External Assessment Methodology.
Where multi-year supply agreements are in place and the Farming Program is being implemented, certification is not intended to replace the program, but serves as a basis and external verification scheme.
For more information, see the Lindt & Sprüngli Earthworm Progress Report.