OSAKA, Japan – As part of its ongoing commitment to sustainability, Fuji Oil Holdings, along with US subsidiary Blommer Chocolate Company, today announced two global initiatives that address the most significant sustainability issues faced by the cocoa industry. The first is a commitment to eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labor (WFCL) in the Company’s cocoa supply chain by 2025 and, ultimately, to eliminate all forms of Child Labor as defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO) by 2030. The second is a commitment to distribute 1,000,000 forest tree seedlings by 2030 to areas deforested as a result of cocoa farming. These two commitments reinforce the sustainable sourcing ambition of the company and are materialized through several initiatives.
“We are excited to announce the first major cocoa sustainability initiatives resulting from the collaboration between Fuji Oil and Blommer Chocolate. In alignment with our group management philosophy, we view cocoa sustainability as one of our highest priorities,” said Hiroshi Shinano, Executive Officer, Oils & Fats and Chocolate Division for Fuji Oil. “These exciting initiatives create concrete targets in line with our ‘Responsible Cacao Sourcing Policy’ which was announced in 2018.”
“We welcome this initiative from our Holdings Company as a clear sign of our commitment to increase our offer of sustainable and future-proof supply chains to our customers” said Peter Claerhout, sales Director of Fuji Oil Europe.
Delivering on the commitment to eliminate the WFCL, Fuji Oil will implement a multi-tiered strategy which will include polygon mapping, women’s empowerment, educational access, as well as, child labor monitoring and remediation systems.
Given the importance of access to quality education in addressing child labor issues, Fuji Oil is pleased to announce its intention to join other industry partners in two exciting new initiatives in Cote d’Ivoire led by the Jacobs Foundation. The first initiative, Child Learning and Education Facility (CLEF), aims to reach 5 million children and 10 million parents in cocoa growing areas and beyond, focusing on access to quality primary education. The second initiative is the Early Learning and Nutrition Facility (ELAN). ELAN is designed to provide quality services and training in early childhood development and nutrition to 1.3 million children below the age of 5 and their caregivers.
In addition, and expanding on current programs in Cote d’Ivoire and Ecuador, Fuji Oil will establish a new sustainability program in Ghana. The program will supply beans and products to Europe, Asia and the U.S.
Aligned with Fuji Oil’s deforestation policies for Palm, a landscape model approach will be used in the distribution of the 1,000,000-seedling target. Early stages of the program will target Cote d’ Ivoire and Ghana. Additional regions of the supply chain will be considered in later years. Varieties will be selected with the purpose of providing alternative income sources for communities along with the benefit of reestablishing the forest canopy.
About Fuji Oil Holdings
The Fuji Oil Group is a manufacturer of plant-based food solutions in the fields of hard butters for chocolate and industrial use chocolate; confectionery and bakery ingredients including cream, margarine, and cheese-flavor ingredients; and soy ingredients. We deliver delicious and healthy foods to customers around the world based on the idea of plant-based food solutions. We have 16 chocolate factories in 10 countries, and we have a wide range of chocolate business in Japan, Southeast Asia, China, Australia, United States, Canada, Brazil and Belgium. Ever since its founding in 1950, Fuji Oil has adhered to the conviction that its path to survival and advancement lies in cultivating new fields through application of its originality, without following the lead of other companies. With a focus on tropical oils and fats, we began developing business overseas at an early stage. Similarly, in the belief that soybeans will contribute to human health and the environment, we have been researching and making sophisticated use of them for half a century. https://www.fujioilholdings.com/en/
About Fuji Europe Africa
Fuji Europe Africa B.V. is the European and African regional HQ for the Fuji Oil Holdings and is responsible for creating new businesses based on our portfolio of Plant-Based Food Solutions, providing applications for meat and dairy analogues utilizing our own highly- functional ingredients. We also support the expansion of our European Cocoa-Based Fillings and Compounds, and Specialty Oils & Fats businesses through Fuji Oil Europe and Fuji Oil Ghana. Fuji Europe Africa is also a center for developing and implementing the Group’s globalization strategies, such as overseeing and optimizing the Group’s global supply chain and implementing and communicating the Group’s sustainability agenda. Fuji Europe Africa is also the hub for Group R&D open innovation activities. https://fujieuropeafrica.com/
About Fuji Oil Europe
Fuji Oil Europe has more than 25 years of experience in developing innovative and value-added solutions for applications where the right choice of vegetable oils & fats really makes a difference. Fuji Oil Europe is especially renowned for its high-quality cocoa butter equivalents (CBE), cocoa butter substitutes (CBS), cocoa butter replacers (CBR), functional filling fats and nutritional fats.
Fuji Oil Europe also produces cocoa fillings, compounds and specialty chocolates for the food industry, that are mostly tailored to our customer’s specific needs. Our fillings & compounds division can rely upon the in-house fat technology of Fuji Oil Europe.
Fuji Oil Europe is a part of Fuji Oil Holdings Inc. Japan. https://www.fujioileurope.com/en