Fludor, ICI partner to tackle child labour in cocoa value-chains

Fludor Ghana Limited, a Tropical General Investment (TGI) Group company that engages in the internal sourcing, trading and marketing of agricultural commodities in Ghana, has collaborated with the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) to combat child and forced labour within Ghana’s cocoa supply chain.

The promotion of human rights in cocoa supply chains, particularly child and forced labour, are critical priorities in the sector, with all hands on deck to tackle them; hence, the alliance.

ICI’s focus is on ensuring a better future for children and on advancing the elimination of child labour in cocoa-growing communities. They have built a Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS), which is considered a credible mechanism established to identify, prevent and remediate child labour risks and cases across the cocoa supply chain.

By joining forces with the Swiss-based foundation Fludor marks a significant milestone in its commitment to safeguard and champion human rights within the cocoa supply chain in Ghana.

The partnership, which extends to Vink Corporation (UAE) and WACOT Limited (Nigeria) – all subsidiaries of TGI Group, clearly demonstrates the group’s commitment to ethical and responsible business practices.

“We are proud to partner with the International Cocoa Initiative, said Maria Christodoulou, Head of Cocoa Sustainability, Fludor and WACOT Ltd.

“This partnership with the ICI will boost our efforts to tackle child labour and forced labour, the cocoa sector’s most salient human rights issues. We are determined to work closely with ICI’s experts to further advance our human rights due diligence processes and stay at the forefront of best practices and industry developments while further empowering all our stakeholders,” she added.

Matthias Lange, ICI Executive Director, highlighted the impact of the collaboration, stating: “As a Ghana-based licensed buyer with an extensive farmer network and cocoa operations, this partnership with Fludor brings us one step closer to achieving our target to reach all children at risk of child labour. We look forward to supporting their efforts to tackle child labour and learning from their experiences”.

Through the partnership, Fludor and ICI will strive to maintain the highest standards of ethical business conduct in full compliance with the forthcoming European Union’s Mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence (mHRDD) regulations and Forced Labour Regulation.

Combining their strengths, they will contribute to a more sustainable and child-protected cocoa industry, where no child is at risk of child labour.

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