THE COMMITMENT OF LINDT & SPRÜNGLI TO SUSTAINABILITY
Chocolate farmers in sustainable cultivation
Cocoa farmers, dairy farmers, vanilla pickers: These are just some of the partners who help the Maîtres Chocolatiers
of LINDT to make outstanding chocolate. Everyone who is involved in the success of LINDT should be treated fairly.
That is why we comply with high standards of ethics and sustainability in the procurement of our raw materials and
in their processing into high-quality chocolate.
Sustainable and socially responsible activity is an important
prerequisite for the long-term success of a company. We are convinced
of that at Lindt & Sprüngli. That is why we are committed in all our
processes in the production of LINDT chocolate to maximum quality and
sustainability - from the procurement of the best raw materials to
production and the consumption of the melt-in-the-mouth
chocolates.
The Lindt & Sprüngli Promise can be split in three main
areas:
1. Sustainably Sourced
To ensure a sustainable supply of key resources, Lindt & Sprüngli
is committed to long-term partnerships with suppliers and traceability
of raw materials. It is the key to sustainable sourcing and an
important step towards improving the working and environmental
conditions at suppliers. This approach allows Lindt & Sprüngli to
know the farmers delivering our raw materials and to verify their
social and environmental practices. The company also tries to limit
the involvement of intermediaries, thereby allowing producers to
receive fair payment for their quality products.
2. Sustainably Produced
Lindt & Sprüngli requires dedicated employees and has respect
for the environment. In terms of the environment, Lindt &
Sprüngli is working continuously on reducing the use of valuable
energy and water. Special attention is paid to the constant
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through local programs at
production sites and by optimizing transport routes of ingredients
and end products. For our employees, we want to ensure a safe work
environment and that they are satisfied with their jobs. Global
programs for health and safety, local programs for personal
development as well as regular global employee surveys build the
basis for continuous improvement. Our Group Policies define our
global requirements, while the different subsidiaries are
responsible for the implementation of environmental measures or
employee activities.
3. Sustainably Consumed
Lindt & Sprüngli has a responsibility towards its customers and
consumers. We apply high standards to food safety, correct labeling,
and consumer orientation to ensure our quality standards are met from
the raw materials to the finished product. Only once the company is
convinced that a finished product lives up to the high quality
standards and is impeccable condition, it leaves the factory. Lindt
& Sprüngli will continue its efforts in research &
development, packaging and logistics - in cooperation with its trade
partners - to safeguard this treasured quality all the way to the
homes of the consumers. All measures in place are continuously
reviewed and improved and allow the consumers to enjoy the products
with a high degree of trust.
A farmer with his cacao trees
Safeguarding the Future of Cocoa
Cocoa is our most important ingredient. It is a great challenge to
ensure that it is also available to us in future in the supreme
quality required by us and in sufficient quantity. An important key
component is the sustainable sourcing program Lindt & Sprüngli
Farming Program that aims to enhance the quality of the beans and the
yield from the harvest. To achieve this, the cocoa farmers are
supported in their work, for example through training courses or
infrastructure projects. We thus also make a contribution to improving
the working and living conditions of the cocoa farmers and help to
ensure that the farming of cocoa also remains attractive in the future
for the farmers. In order to safeguard the future of the cocoa, Lindt
& Sprüngli has therefore been collaborating with local partners in the
cocoa origin countries for several years. Tackling the Challenges with Pioneering Projects
As part of the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program, we have been able to
achieve considerable success to date with projects of a pioneering
nature in the industry, not only in Ghana where we buy a major
percentage of our high-grade cocoa beans and where the program was
first introduced in 2008, but also in other countries such as Ecuador,
Madagascar, Papua New Guinea and the Dominican Republic where the
program has been extended from 2014. Lindt & Sprüngli responsibly
decided not to source from the Ivory Coast due to the unstable
conditions for responsible and high-quality procurement and the high
risk of child labour. We are committed to increasing the quality and
improving the situation of the farmers and their families and to avoid
child labour. The basis of our success is the so-called traceability
of the cocoa. That means we want to know what village every sack of
cocoa we receive has come from. Because only if we know where the
beans come from can we ensure that the cocoa meets our standards of
quality. And only then can we help locally to improve the farming
practices and the yields.
Sustainability in Procurement
In addition to cocoa, our chocolates also consist of other
high-quality ingredients such as milk, almonds, hazelnuts, vanilla
or sugar. We ensure responsible procurement also in the selection of
these raw materials and in the packaging materials. Long-standing
relationships with, for instance, local milk and sugar producers
make it possible to develop a relationship of trust with our
suppliers. Where possible, we buy near to our production sites. We
thus help to ensure that the transport costs and greenhouse gas
emissions harmful to the climate can be reduced. Not least the local
economy also benefits from this.
Farmers with cocoa fruit
Producing Chocolate in a Sustainable Manner
Once the high-quality raw materials have arrived at Lindt &
Sprüngli, we ensure that they are processed according to the state
of the art. To save the environment in the production of chocolate,
we are continually working on reducing the consumption of energy and
water in order to ensure an increasingly environmentally friendly
energy record. For this purpose, we implement projects and also
participate in international initiatives such as the "Carbon
Disclosure Project". To discover more about this project and other
at Lindt & Sprüngli, visit the corporate Lindt & Sprüngli website's
Memberships section.
At the same time, we strive to meet high standards of consumer expectation. The environmental principles of Lindt & Sprüngli, specific goals and regular controls help us to comply with our own high benchmarks in the environmental sector.
All employees make a decisive contribution to the success of our
company. For instance the LINDT Maîtres Chocolatiers: Their
scrutinising look, their first-class sense of taste, their knowledge
of all the finesse and refinements of cocoa processing and of the
chocolate. Their passion becomes tangible in every piece of LINDT
chocolate that leaves the chocolate factory. We offer an attractive
work environment to ensure that this continues to be the case. We can
only achieve top results with regard to quality when we have satisfied
employees.
in order to ensure an increasingly environmentally friendly energy
record. For this purpose, we implement projects and also participate
in international initiatives such as the "Carbon Disclosure
Project". At the same time, we want to meet the high standards of the
consumers with regard to LINDT chocolate for their own enjoyment and
as a gift too. The environmental principles of Lindt & Sprüngli,
specific goals and regular controls help us to comply with our own
high benchmarks in the environmental sector.
All employees make a decisive contribution to the success of our
company. For instance the LINDT Maîtres Chocolatiers: Their
scrutinising look, their first-class sense of taste, their knowledge
of all the finesse and refinements of cocoa processing and of the
chocolate. Their passion becomes tangible in every piece of LINDT
chocolate that leaves the chocolate factory. We offer an attractive
work environment to ensure that this continues to be the case. We
can only achieve top results with regard to quality when we have
satisfied employees.
Ensuring Sustainable Quality from Start to Finish
We have a great responsibility not just towards our suppliers and
employees, but also towards our consumers. As a manufacturer of one
of the best chocolates in the world, we do not compromise on
anything, either in quality or food safety. A broad network of
specialists ensures that our products meet the highest standards of
quality – from the ingredients to the delivery of the finished LINDT
chocolate. Because we have the entire production process under our
own control from start to finish, we can guarantee maximum quality
and comprehensive commitment to sustainability. We are convinced
that full taste and enjoyment can only develop when outstanding
quality and a responsible handling of people and nature go hand in
glove with one another.