Consultative role
Labour Practices
The International Cocoa Initiative (ICI)
The International Cocoa Initiative ( ICI ) is a joint - industry/non-industry - partnership foundation, which aim is “to oversee and sustain efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labour and forced labour in the growing and processing of cocoa beans and their derivative products” . Several ECA members have been supporting ICI since it was founded, and are actively engaged in its Executive Committee and Board.
The International Cocoa Verification Board (ICVB)
This Board was created in 2007 to coordinate the verification of the surveys conducted in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire to ascertain labour practices in cocoa growing regions. Its mission was namely that of determining the ToR for the verifying bodies, appointing these, and ensuring a smooth overall process, in collaboration with both countries’ authorities. ECA holds one of two industry seats on the ICVB.
GAPs and cocoa quality
Consultative Board of the International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO)
The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) is a global organization, composed of both cocoa producing and cocoa consuming countries with a membership. Located in London, ICCO was established in 1973 to put into effect the first International Cocoa Agreement which was negotiated in Geneva at a United Nations International Cocoa Conference. There have since been six Agreements. The Sixth International Cocoa Agreement was negotiated in Geneva in 2001 and came into force provisionally on 1 October 2003. ECA sits on the Organisation’s Consultative Board which was created under the Sixth Agreement.
Round Table for a Sustainable Cocoa Economy
The RSCE was launched in 2007 at the initiative of the ICCO. The Roundtable for a Sustainable Cocoa Economy (RSCE) is an initiative for dialogue and sustainability amongst all stakeholders in the cocoa economy: cocoa farmers and cooperatives, traders, exporters, processors, chocolate manufacturers, wholesalers, governmental and non-governmental organizations, financial institutions as well as donor agencies.
The RSCE website is a platform for the exchange of best known practices, discussion fora on cocoa topics ranging from crop pests, over value chain management to certification schemes.
ECA took part in the RSCE’s first meeting (Accra, Ghana, September 2007), and was part of the preparatory working group for the second meeting (Port of Spain, Trinidad, March 2009).