Mars Joins Global Cocoa Sector In Copenhagen To Discuss CocoaAction Initiative

COPENHAGEN, November 7, 2014 /3BL Media/ – Mars, incorporated was one of hundreds of other members of the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) and leaders from the global cocoa sector who convened in Copenhagen, Denmark to take further crucial steps toward implementing a comprehensive strategy called CocoaAction. The aim of this initiative is to sustain the cocoa industry and improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. WCF leadership also announced the collective effort to support the fight against Ebola in West Africa has resulted thus far in more than $700,000 that will be donated to two non-governmental organizations, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Caritas.

CocoaAction was announced in May and is focused on helping cocoa farmers improve their productivity, and support community development initiatives in the countries of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire – the largest cocoa producing countries in the world. CocoaAction’s goal is to work with no fewer than 300,000 cocoa farmers and their communities by 2020.

“Our industry is at a critical moment, and CocoaAction is our strategy to ensure that collective cocoa sustainability efforts go deeper and wider,” said Bill Guyton, president, World Cocoa Foundation. “With CocoaAction, industry leaders are embarking on an unprecedented effort to improve farmers’ lives and ensure they benefit more from the cocoa they grow. This meeting has been critical in engaging all stakeholders in helping to co-create the future of standards, measurement and certification.” I am confident that these productive discussions will continue long after we leave Copenhagen, and that we as a sector will determine the necessary tools and assistance to strive towards true sustainability.”

“I am delighted by the level of alignment, collaboration and commitment we’ve seen so far from the cocoa industry and all the critical stakeholders. We have a real opportunity to transform this industry to the good of millions of farmers and their families”, said Barry Parkin, chairman, World Cocoa Foundation and chief sustainability officer, Mars, Incorporated. “Our strategy is called CocoaAction and we now need to move quickly to action and implement in cocoa-growing communities. We have announced today a critical milestone in the agreement to a comprehensive results framework that will ensure we are held to account and that we hold each other to account on our progress against our commitments.

The outcomes of CocoaAction are centered on productivity and community development. In Copenhagen, the industry agreed to the following outcome indicators:

For Productivity

• Number of farmers, disaggregated by gender, who are applying a minimum number of good agricultural practices.
• Number of farmers, disaggregated by gender, who are adopting recommended planting materials to rehabilitate a minimum percentage of their old or non-productive cocoa trees.
• Number of farmers, disaggregated by gender, who are adopting recommended fertilizer and soil fertility practices on their farms.

For Community

• Number of children participating in child labor as defined by the International Labour Organization Convention 182.
• Number of women in leadership positions (e.g. trainers, lead farmers, extension workers) in farmer organizations.
• Percentage of school-age children regularly attending school.

More than 200 attendees representing the chocolate and cocoa industry, global retailers, cocoa producing country governments, nonprofit organizations, academia, and research institutes, from 23 countries, participated in more than a dozen plenaries and small group discussions during the two-day session. The Partnership Meeting also featured a Cocoa Sustainability Trade Fair, which featured information and displays about sustainability efforts being undertaken in the cocoa sector around the world. The Trade Fair was an integral part of efforts by the sector to share information and practices to assist in deepening knowledge and highlighting successful approaches.

To learn more about CocoaAction, visit www.worldcocoafoundation.org

About World Cocoa Foundation

WCF is an international membership foundation of more than 115 companies 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. WCF's membership includes cocoa and chocolate manufacturers, processors, supply chain managers, and other companies worldwide, representing more than 80 percent of the global cocoa market. For more information, visit www.worldcocoa.org and follow us on Twitter.com/WorldCocoa.

About Mars, Incorporated

In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars’ first roots as a confectionery company. In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY® bar. In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of building a business based on the objective of creating a “mutuality of benefits for all stakeholders” – this objective serves as the foundation of Mars, Incorporated today. Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $33 billion, six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, Symbioscience, and more than 75,000 Associates worldwide that are putting its Principles into action to make a difference for people and the planet through its performance.

Mars brands include: Petcare – PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, BANFIELD® Pet Hospital, CESAR®, SHEBA®, DREAMIES® and NUTRO®; Chocolate – M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®; Wrigley – DOUBLEMINT®, EXTRA®, ORBIT® and 5™ chewing gums, SKITTLES® and STARBURST® candies, and ALTOIDS® AND LIFESAVERS® mints. Food – UNCLE BEN’S®, DOLMIO®, EBLY®, MASTERFOODS®, SEEDS OF CHANGE® and ROYCO®; Drinks – ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS™, THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANY™, KLIX® and FLAVIA®; Symbioscience – COCOAVIA® and WISDOM PANEL®.

For more information about Mars, Incorporated, please visit www.mars.com. Follow us: facebook.com/mars, twitter.com/marsglobal, youtube.com/mars, linkedin.com/company/mars