ECA Forum 2019

ECA forum to focus on ‘integrity and credibility of the cocoa supply chain’

15-Jul-2019 - Last updated on 15-Jul-2019 at 10:35 GMT

Options to tackle deforestation and child labor in the commodities supply chain will be on the agenda at the ECA Forum in Lisbon. Pic: Fairtrade

The closing debate of the 2019 European Cocoa Forum in Lisbon will look at tackling deforestation and child labor in the cocoa industry.

The last panel of the seventh European Cocoa Association (ECA) Forum, which runs from September 17 to 19 in Lisbon, has been announced, and will focus on four main themes:

Presenting the EU framework and the anticipated EU options to tackle deforestation and child labor in the commodities supply chain
Implementing responsible business conduct – clarifying the key steps in reaching the target of sustainable cocoa
How child labor has been addressed efficiently in other tropical commodities, notably through the due diligence system
Certification in a transforming sector – how governments, companies and standards can work together to address deforestation and child labor in the cocoa sector

Confirmed moderator and panellists include: Harold Poelma, ECA Board member, Cargill President Cocoa & Chocolate; Joseph Boahen Aidoo, Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board; Leonard Mizzi, Head of Unit, DG DEVCO, European Commission; Benjamin Smith, Senior Specialist, International Labour Organization and Albertine de Lange, Advocacy lead, Rainforest Alliance

The panel will look at the work conducted by the ECA on the sustainability aspects of the cocoa supply chain, such as deforestation and child labor, and will debate on the different options for due diligence legislation.

A parallel session will investigate Public-Private Partnerships and the role of cocoa producing countries in the enforcement of legislation to address sustainability challenges.

The ECA says access to funding for reforestation and community building projects in cocoa producing countries will also be addressed, together with panellists and attendees sharing best practices on how financial support can be structured to reward meaningful policy and initiatives.

Also included on the agenda in Lisbon is a presentation by the International Labour Organization on current challenges in terms of eradicating child labor, while analyzing the impacts that certification schemes are having on empowering farmers and driving the action plan on a credible and traceable cocoa supply chain.