World Cocoa Foundation

World Cocoa Foundation WCF is an international membership organization whose vision is a thriving & equitable cocoa sector.

There is a lot more pressure on the cocoa sector now to show not just progress, but prove it with data. And that is wher...
03/24/2026

There is a lot more pressure on the cocoa sector now to show not just progress, but prove it with data. And that is where things have been tricky. For a long time, companies were working toward the same goals, but using different systems, definitions, and ways of measuring impact. It made alignment difficult and slowed things down.

What is starting to change is how the sector is working together on this. More shared approaches, more consistency, and a clearer picture of what is actually happening on the ground.

It may not sound exciting, but this is what makes real progress possible.

Take a look at how.
And read more: http://worldcocoafoundation.org/our-approach/sustainability-standards-and-regulatory-assurance

Women have always been central to cocoa. They farm, ferment, trade, process, lead communities, manage households and oft...
03/17/2026

Women have always been central to cocoa. They farm, ferment, trade, process, lead communities, manage households and often carry much of the labour that keeps farms running. Yet their work is still too often informal, underpaid or invisible in the data that shapes policy and investment.

That matters not only for equity, but for the future of cocoa.

When women farmers lack secure land rights, access to finance, training, technology or markets, the whole system loses productivity and resilience. Closing those gaps is one of the clearest ways to strengthen both livelihoods and production.

This year’s International Year of Women Farmers is a reminder that recognition is not enough. Progress depends on practical changes: better data on women’s contributions across the value chain, equal access to training and innovation, fair pay, land tenure security, and a stronger voice in decision-making.

Women farmers are not a side conversation in cocoa. They are part of the foundation on which the sector depends. Ensuring that cocoa value chains work for them means unlocking productivity, resilience and long-term sustainability for the entire system.

Two weeks on, we are still coming back to the discussions from .More than 450 stakeholders joined us in Amsterdam. What...
03/04/2026

Two weeks on, we are still coming back to the discussions from .

More than 450 stakeholders joined us in Amsterdam. What stood out was not just the range of issues we discussed, but how interconnected they have become. Price volatility, farmer income, biodiversity expectations, regulatory alignment and disease risk are no longer parallel conversations. Decisions in one area now directly shape outcomes in another.

There was a noticeable shift in tone. Less focus on announcing new initiatives, more focus on how to make existing commitments hold under pressure — in volatile markets, under tighter scrutiny, and in landscapes facing climate stress.

That shift towards ex*****on will define the months ahead.

If you would like to revisit the atmosphere and exchanges from those two days, photos from the event are now available on our website: https://worldcocoafoundation.org/partnership-meeting/securing-cocoa-s-future-in-a-changing-world

The 2026 WCF Partnership Meeting brought together over 500 participants from across the cocoa sector for two days of ope...
02/25/2026

The 2026 WCF Partnership Meeting brought together over 500 participants from across the cocoa sector for two days of open dialogue and practical exchange.

We are grateful to our sponsors whose support made this possible.

By investing in this forum, you help create space for governments, companies and civil society to work through the issues shaping cocoa’s future — from farmer livelihoods and forest protection to resilience and regulation.

Thank you for your partnership.

02/18/2026

The halls of Beurs van Berlage are slowly falling silent as we close the 2026 WCF Partnership Meeting, after an afternoon full of actionable insight.
Emerging origins are stepping forward with growing production, distinct market positioning and new policy approaches. Sustainability, quality and compliance are increasingly shaping competitiveness and influence in the global cocoa economy.
Expectations are also deepening. Biodiversity is moving into measurement and reporting. Land tenure reform is recognised as foundational to climate action, traceability and long-term farmer investment. Programme innovation is being examined not as a pilot exercise, but as a pathway to durable transformation at scale.
In the final plenary, international associations reflected on shared priorities across regions and commodities, reinforcing how interconnected resilience, livelihoods, regulation and market dynamics have become.
The meeting closes, but the discussions continue across supply chains, sectors and geographies.
See you next year.

Day two of began with a focus on volatility and long-term resilience. Hershey spoke about sustained investment in farm...
02/18/2026

Day two of began with a focus on volatility and long-term resilience. Hershey spoke about sustained investment in farmer incomes, regenerative farming and partnerships that strengthen supply continuity in an uncertain market.

The plenary that followed examined current market signals more closely. Demand trends, high prices and reformulation are interacting in complex ways, while production challenges linked to climate impacts, disease and ageing farms continue to tighten supply.

The discussion returned repeatedly to farmers. Income stability, diversified systems such as agroforestry, and more structured dialogue between producing countries, importing markets and industry actors were all part of the equation.

Market dynamics and farm-level realities are inseparable. That was the tone of the morning.

Women are central to cocoa production systems — as farmers, entrepreneurs, processors, community leaders and caregivers....
02/18/2026

Women are central to cocoa production systems — as farmers, entrepreneurs, processors, community leaders and caregivers. Productivity, farm resilience and rural health are directly linked to their access to resources, land, finance and decision-making.

That's also why we closed Day 01 of , with a reception sponsored by HERSHEY'S: Women at the Heart of Sustainable Cocoa, and marked the International Year of Women Farmers

Akissi Martine kouame, businesswoman, attiéké producer and community health worker with CAPROD, spoke from lived experience in Côte d’Ivoire about the realities and responsibilities women carry across farming households and communities.

Tacko Ndiaye, Gender Team Leader at FAO’s Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division, connected this to structural change. Gender equality in agriculture is not peripheral. It shapes yields, income stability and long-term sustainability.

Sustainable cocoa depends on recognising and strengthening the role women already play across the system.

The first day of WCFPM ends on a strong note. This afternoon, WCF presented its refined strategy, setting a clearer dire...
02/17/2026

The first day of WCFPM ends on a strong note. This afternoon, WCF presented its refined strategy, setting a clearer direction for collective action.

A plenary addressed the growing threat of cocoa diseases and the need for more coordinated responses. Breakout sessions looked at practical approaches to CSSVD, the role of technology and innovation in cocoa’s future, and early lessons from using the Cocoa GHG Accounting Manual.

CocoaTechxChange continues, followed by a reception celebrating the International Year of Women Farmers, sponsored by Hershey.

Following opening remarks from Chris Vincent, Liberato Milo, Vice Minister Steven Collet and Henry Bonsu, the WCF Partne...
02/17/2026

Following opening remarks from Chris Vincent, Liberato Milo, Vice Minister Steven Collet and Henry Bonsu, the WCF Partnership Meeting moved into hands-on sessions.

Discussions on forest protection examined how to move from commitments to measurable results, despite monitoring gaps and complex reporting requirements.

Breakout sessions explored how new EU sustainability regulations are shaping traceability in producing countries, and how they are aligning monitoring systems with private tools to strengthen coordination and impact.

Next, presents practical demonstrations of innovative solutions linked to these challenges.

Preparations for are in full swing. First meetings are happening, and speakers are arriving.There is anticipation for ...
02/16/2026

Preparations for are in full swing. First meetings are happening, and speakers are arriving.
There is anticipation for the panel discussions ahead, but also for the networking moments. It is rare to have the whole cocoa chain in one room.
Tomorrow, we begin. We are looking forward to seeing you.

The cocoa sector is entering a period that demands stronger coordination. Regulatory expectations are tightening, market...
02/12/2026

The cocoa sector is entering a period that demands stronger coordination. Regulatory expectations are tightening, market conditions remain volatile, and climate pressure is reshaping supply chains. In this environment, partnership is central to progress.

We are pleased to welcome Suzanne Blake as Head of Strategic Partnerships and Membership at the World Cocoa Foundation.

Suzanne brings more than twenty years of international experience across communications, sustainability strategy and climate finance. At WCF, she will focus on deepening engagement with members and strategic partners, expanding collaboration across industry, NGOs and investors, and helping turn shared sustainability priorities into coordinated action.

As expectations of the cocoa sector continue to rise, the ability to align diverse actors around practical, scalable solutions will define what progress looks like.

Please join us in welcoming Suzanne.

Read more on Suzanne's background: https://worldcocoafoundation.org/news-and-resources/press-release/world-cocoa-foundation-appoints-suzanne-blake-to-strengthen-strategic-partnerships-at-critical-moment-for-cocoa-sector

No single region or discipline can solve the challenges cocoa is facing. What is needed now is deeper connection between...
02/10/2026

No single region or discipline can solve the challenges cocoa is facing. What is needed now is deeper connection between policy, science, markets and origin.

On the second afternoon of the 2026 WCF Partnership Meeting, speakers from Latin America, West Africa, Southeast Asia and Europe will share how their institutions — across government, civil society and industry — are responding to complex pressures and opportunities in the sector.

These conversations are not just global in scope. They are practical, grounded and urgent.

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