Lindt & Sprungli publishes its 13th annual Sustainability Report; highlights include share of cocoa sourced through sustainability programs increasing to 67%

Over 112,000 farmers in seven cocoa origin countries now benefitting from the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program
 

Media Release Sustainability Report 2022 | June 1, 2023
 

•  Share of cocoa sourced through sustainability programs increased to 67%
• Expansion of responsible sourcing standards to additional priority raw materials
• Climate targets submitted to the Science Based Targets initiative

Kilchberg, June 1, 2023 – The Lindt & Sprüngli Group today published its 13th annual Sustainability Report, highlighting the milestones it reached throughout 2022 to advance its sustainability performance. Key highlights include the expansion of the company's responsible sourcing of cocoa and other key raw materials; the expansion of its cocoa sustainability program, which now includes over 112,000 farmers; the submission of its science-based climate targets for validation; and its strengthened commitment to respecting human rights throughout the supply chain. The report also outlines opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for both the company and the industry.

Responsible sourcing initiatives: Lindt & Sprüngli continued to expand its responsible sourcing initiatives in 2022, with 67% of its cocoa products (beans, butter, powder, and chocolate mass) sourced through sustainability programs and more than 112,000 farmers in seven cocoa countries now benefitting from the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program's investments in training, infrastructure, and biodiversity.

The company took another step forward on its Responsible Sourcing Roadmap, defining responsible sourcing standards for sugar, paper, and vanilla in 2022. This increases the number of raw materials that now fall under the company's responsible sourcing efforts to eight, moving Lindt & Sprüngli closer to its goal of covering 80% of procurement expenditures for raw and packaging materials by a sustainable sourcing program by 2025.

The company also strengthened its efforts to prevent and address child labor in its cocoa supply chain with the development and implementation of its Community Child Protection System providing clear guidance to suppliers. Furthermore, it committed CHF 1.25 million to the multi-stakeholder initiative Child Learning and Education Facility (CLEF) to address the root causes of child labor by investing in access to quality education.

Validating climate targets: Lindt & Sprüngli is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its value chain (Scope 1, 2, and 3) and to setting science-based targets in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. The company submitted its climate targets to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for validation. Defined and validated targets will be announced in the second half of 2023.

Respecting human rights: In 2022, Lindt & Sprüngli introduced its new Human Rights Policy, formally committing to implement a due diligence process aimed at preventing or mitigating adverse human rights and environmental impacts throughout the organization and its supply chain.

Maintaining high standards: Lindt & Sprüngli's commitment to sustainability was confirmed by EcoVadis, one of the leading providers of sustainability ratings. The EcoVadis assessment covers 21 criteria across four areas: environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. The Lindt & Sprüngli Group was awarded an EcoVadis Silver Medal for its 2022 performance. The award recognizes the company's overall score in the top 22% and sustainable procurement score in the top 4% of companies rated by EcoVadis in the 'manufacturer of other food products' industry. 

Link to Sustainability Report 2022

Media Contact | +41 44 716 22 33 | media@lindt.com    

Investors Contact | +41 44 716 25 37 | investors@lindt.com  

About Lindt & Sprüngli

Lindt & Sprüngli has been enchanting the world with chocolate for over 175 years. The long-established Swiss company with its roots in Zurich is a global leader in the premium chocolate product sector. Lindt & Sprüngli produces quality chocolates today at its 12 own production sites in Europe and the USA. Its products are sold by 32 subsidiaries and branch offices in around 500 of its own stores as well as via a network of more than 100 independent distributors around the globe. With a workforce exceeding 14,000 employees, the Lindt & Sprüngli Group generated sales of CHF 4.97 billion in 2022.