Fazer develops traceability of cocoa

Fazer is committed to developing responsibility in the supply chain of cocoa: by 2017, the origin of Fazer’s cocoa will be traceable and all the cocoa fulfils the criteria of responsible production. In co-operation with the World Cocoa Foundation, Fazer is actively contributing to the improvement of conditions in farmer communities. In August 2012, Fazer will launch a charity campaign and direct the income to building a secondary school in a village which Fazer sponsors called Biéby in Ivory Coast.

According to its new cocoa strategy, Fazer works systematically to increase the sourcing of responsibly produced cocoa by 10 to 15 per cent each year. The goal is that by 2017, the origin of Fazer’s cocoa will be traceable and all the cocoa will fulfil the criteria of responsible production. Responsible cocoa sourcing at Fazer is based on improving traceability and following the principles of the World Cocoa Foundation: People, Profit, and Planet.

‘Developing the traceability of cocoa is our main goal. When we know where our cocoa comes from, we can be convinced there are proper conditions in the primary production. It is important to us that consumers can make a responsible choice when buying Fazer’s products,’ says Tom Lindblad, Managing Director of Fazer Confectionery.

Tom Lindblad’s views are based on a recent study according to which more and more consumers make value based purchase decisions. 24 per cent of Finnish consumers stated they pay attention to ethical issues and responsibility when making a purchase decision. Chocolate is not considered especially problematic from the ethical point of view, but consciousness of responsibility is growing. (Research Insight Finland, 2012). Attention is paid, for example, to social justice and environmental aspects. Consumers want to participate and influence by choosing products and services.

‘In 2012, the share of responsibly produced cocoa will be increased to around 30 per cent. We purchased the first lots of certified cocoa in autumn 2010 when we started purchasing UTZ certified cocoa. At the moment, we work hard to increase traceability. This year, for example, we will be buying 700 tonnes of traceable cocoa from Nigeria through an organisation called Source Trust,’ says Lindblad. ‘We have also actively participated in starting European co-operation to create a common responsibility and traceability standard for cocoa.’

Solutions to challenges in cocoa farms

Representatives of Fazer regularly visit cocoa producing countries to become familiar with the daily life and ways to work in farmer communities. On their latest visit in October 2011, Fazer’s representatives went to Ghana and Nigeria.

‘It is important to us to be familiar with the conditions in cocoa-farming communities and to find suitable partners and know their ways to work, and to build mutual trust with operators in the countries of origin this way,’ explains Cocoa and Chocolate Quality Expert Majlen Fazer, who was in the group visiting Ghana. She also stresses the significance of co-operation among international cocoa and chocolate industry in developing conditions in cocoa-farming communities.

‘We recognise the challenges in cocoa farms and want to do all we can to improve conditions in farms and communities. For example, being taught correct methods can help farmers to improve the quantity and quality of their crops. This, in turn, will increase their income levels and standards of living. This is the work we do in the village we sponsor in Ivory Coast,’ Majlen Fazer sums it up.

Fazer builds school in sponsor village Biéby in Ivory Coast

Fazer has a village in Ivory Coast called Biéby which it sponsors. Biéby is located some 100 km north-east of the port and business hub Abidjan. Fazer supports Biéby through the ECHOES (Empowering Cocoa Households with opportunities and Education Solutions) programme established by the World Cocoa Foundation. Its objective is to provide vocational training on cocoa farming to young people in the farming community in conjunction with other school teaching.

‘Fazer is taking a proactive approach in promoting a sustainable cocoa economy by leading an initiative in the village of Biéby, Cote d’Ivoire. The school they are helping to build along with the government will make a huge impact on the community and improve lives. We are proud to call Fazer a member of WCF,’ says Bill Guyton, president of the World Cocoa Foundation.

To celebrate the 90th anniversary of Karl Fazer Milk Chocolate, Fazer will raise funds together with chocolate lovers to build a new school in the Biéby village. Fazer will donate five cents for each 200-gram bar of Karl Fazer Milk Chocolate sold in August 2012 to Biéby’s school building project. The campaign will be launched in all the countries where Fazer operates.

‘Biéby has four schools for young children but none for 12 to 16 year olds. The nearest school for this age group is 16 kilometres away in another village, which is why only a few of Biéby’s 12 to 16 year olds attend school. They must either walk the 16 kilometres to school and back every day or stay with relatives or friends during the week to be closer to school,’ explains Majlen Fazer.

The building of the school will begin in autumn 2012, and the goal is to open the school in the autumn in 2013. The school will also have a small cocoa farm, where the pupils of the school will learn about sustainable cocoa farming and the correct care of the trees. The initiative will be carried out in co-operation with the World Cocoa Foundation. The cost estimate of the school is 150,000 USD.

Fazer has sponsored the Biéby village with 135,000 USD since 2007. By the end of 2011, a total of 560 young people in Biéby had received training in cocoa farming, and 100,200 cocoa trees have been planted on 55 new cocoa farms in accordance with the teachings of the WCF ECHOES programme.

Fazer has been a member of the World Cocoa Foundation since 2005. The goal of the World Cocoa Foundation is to promote responsible cocoa farming, increase the income level of farmers and to support farmers and their families. Supporting the school education of the children and youth of farmers’ families is an important part of the work.

Corporate Responsibility has a significant role in all business development. We make environmentally sustainable decisions. We ensure the safety of our products and the responsibility of our raw materials, and look after our personnel’s well-being. Profitable business creates a sustainable base for Corporate Responsibility. www.fazer.com/responsibility

Additional information:

Tom Lindblad, Managing Director, Fazer Confectionery, tel. +358 400 452 226, tom.lindblad@fazer.com
Leena Majamäki, Communications Director, Fazer Bakeries & Confectionery, tel. +358 40 585 1585, leena.majamaki@fazer.com

Fazer Group
The origins of Fazer Group lie in a family company founded in 1891 when Karl Fazer opened his first café in Helsinki. Today the Group offers meals, bakery and confectionery products and operates in a total of eight countries. Its operations are based on passion for customer, quality excellence and team spirit. The Group operates in two business areas which are committed to creating taste sensations: Fazer Food Services and Fazer Bakeries & Confectionery. Fazer Group‘s turnover for 2011 was nearly 1.6 billion euros. The Group employed c 15,200 people in 2011.

Fazer Food Services is a leading contract catering company in the Nordic countries, offering customers delicious food and tailor-made service solutions. Fazer Food Services has over 1,200 restaurants in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Russia.

Fazer Bakeries & Confectionery
Fazer is Finland's and Russia’s leading bakery company, second largest in Sweden and one of the leading ones in the Baltic region. Bakery products are manufactured in Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia. In the confectionery business, Fazer is Finland’s leading company and a strong player in the Baltic Sea region. The confectionery factories are located in Finland: in Vantaa (chocolate products), Lappeenranta (sugar confectionery) and Karkkila (chewing gum).

The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) is an international membership foundation that promotes a sustainable cocoa economy by providing cocoa farmers with the tools they need to grow more and better cocoa, market it successfully, and make greater profits. These efforts help increase the supply of cocoa and help guarantee chocolate lovers access to their favorite products. WCF’s membership includes cocoa and chocolate manufacturers, processors, supply chain managers, and other companies worldwide, representing more than 80% of the global cocoa market. For more information, visit www.worldcocoa.org.