World Cocoa Foundation claims sector first greenhouse gas accounting standards
Fairtrade International has continued to support cocoa communities around the world, and has elected eight new members to its board. Pic: Fairtrade
A significant breakthrough has been delivered by World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) in launching what is believed to be the first-ever greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting standard for the industry.
Developed in collaboration with Quantis, a leading environmental sustainability consultancy, with support from industry leaders, the GHG Accounting Standard Methodology provides the cocoa industry with a unique, sector-wide approach to measuring, reporting and mitigating GHG emissions.
The new standard for the cocoa trade is designed to help companies in the cocoa sector meet their Scope 3 reporting obligations. Covering topics like land use change, land management, carbon removals and rebaselining, it empowers cocoa companies to consistently report to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) and supports reporting in accordance with the GHG Protocol (GHGP) Land Sector and Removals Guidance draft (with the final to be released later this year), as well as future mandatory legislation.
Michael Matarasso, Impact Director and Head of North America, WCF, said: “Until now there has not been a consistent and detailed way for the cocoa industry to accurately report greenhouse gas emissions. Companies have struggled with multiple methods that can deliver very different results. By aligning the cocoa sector around a best practice standard method, we are now streamlining emissions accounting. This will ensure that companies can report the most accurate data, support them to participate fully in climate related programming and deliver associated financial benefits to farmers who partake in carbon projects.”
Alexandra Stern, Land & Agriculture Lead, Quantis US, also welcomed the new standards, which she believed would make a positive impact.
She added: “This new standard is the product of a collaborative effort which integrated insights from key industry stakeholders to effectively address the sector’s unique challenges. By establishing a unified framework, it equips companies with a practical, standardised approach to emissions reporting, fostering greater transparency and driving meaningful climate action.”
Tilmann Silber, Head of Net Zero, Barry Callebaut, added his support, stating that transparency within the sector and accurate reporting is essential to make sustainable chocolate the norm.
He said: “With its unique position to represent the industry, we welcome WCF’s new accounting standard for cocoa which, when combined with wider GHGP guidance, will move the sector towards actionable, consistent and accurate reporting. In addition to helping companies meet their own cocoa greenhouse gas emission targets, this industry-wide standard will ensure aligned reporting from the entire cocoa sector and further facilitate collaboration among suppliers and customers. “
The GHG Accounting Standard Methodology adds to WCF’s portfolio of methods, tools and guidance designed to support sector-wide comprehensive monitoring and reporting on the most critical cocoa sustainability issues. Its Deforestation Risk Assessment Methodology aims to standardise how companies evaluate the deforestation risk for all cocoa plots destined for the European Union (EU) market and its Cocoa Household Income Study (CHIS) creates a standardised approach for measuring cocoa household income and living incomes.
