The companies increased their commitments to addressing child labor and deforestation.
As part of their ongoing commitment to sustainability, Osaka, Japan-based Fuji Oil Holdings and its Chicago-based subsidiary Blommer Chocolate Co. said they launched two global initiatives that address the most significant social issues faced by the cocoa industry. The first is a commitment to eliminate the worst forms of child labor (WFCL) in the company’s cocoa supply chain by 2025 and, ultimately, to eliminate all forms of child labor as defined by the International Labor Organization by 2030. The second is a commitment to distribute 1,000,000 forest tree seedlings by 2030 to areas deforested as a result of cocoa farming.
“We are excited to announce the first major cocoa sustainability initiatives resulting from the collaboration between Fuji Oil and Blommer Chocolate. In alignment with our group management philosophy, we view cocoa sustainability as one of our highest priorities,” said Hiroshi Shinano, executive officer, Oils & Fats and Chocolate Division for Fuji Oil. “These exciting initiatives create concrete targets in line with our ‘Responsible Cacao Sourcing Policy,’ which was announced in 2018.”