The Chocolate Scorecard

Purpose of research project *

The Chocolate Scorecard enables a sustainability assessment of major chocolate multinational corporations in the cocoa supply chain.

Who has, is or will benefit *

Primary beneficiaries: Cocoa growers and workers (through improved work practices and fair income); the general public (through enhanced sustainability of the environment as a result of reduced use of agrichemicals and reduced deforestation); and chocolate companies (through reputation).

Description of impact *

The research investigates the impact corporations have on the lives of people involved in the cocoa supply chain in West Africa, where 80% of the world’s bulk cocoa is grown. The research began in 2016 after reading a newspaper article about women involved in cocoa farming. A co-authored paper with Stephanie Perkiss, University of Wollongong and Christiana Bernardi, Open University UK, was published in Critical Perspectives on Accounting, leading to a Lighthouse article and connections with several NGOs, including Be Slavery Free. Be Slavery Free now collaborates with Macquarie Business School to develop the annual Chocolate Scorecard that rates major chocolate producers and retailers on economic and sustainability issues such as supply chain traceability and transparency, living income, child and forced labour, deforestation and climate change, agroforestry, and pesticide use. The 2024 fifth edition of the Chocolate Scorecard continues to raise awareness with the public on how the cocoa supply chain works and its detrimental impacts, in particular trapping cocoa farmers in a vicious cycle of poverty, and how that translates into the chocolate we all enjoy today. The chocolate companies and retailers pay attention to their relative scores. As a result, most of the cocoa companies engage in Zoom meetings with the research team to get feedback and advice on improving their policies and practices, which translates to improving practices and the lives of people in the supply chain and their families, especially in West Africa. The project was featured by Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Prof Sakkie Pretorius as a Research Diamond in his 2024 Research Weather Report.

Impact date	5 Mar 2016
Category of impact	Society impacts, Economy impacts
Impact level	Mature benefit