Sustainability Policy

Liberia Cocoa Corporation (LCC) adheres to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, ILO conventions 138 and 182, and national/local law on the employment of children. Any involvement of children in the production of cocoa is always disclosed and closely monitored so it does not adversely affect the children’s well-being, security, educational requirements and need for play.

• No children below the age of 15 are employed as workers.

• Workers under the age of 18 will not be subjected to any work which is likely to jeopardize their health, safety, morals and/or their school attendance.

• Producers do not contract children under the age of 15 as workers.

LCC and its producers will under no circumstances use, or in any other way benefit, from forced labor in line with ILO Convention No. 29 on Forced Labor and ILO Convention No. 105 on Abolition of Forced Labor. LCC will ensure there is no human trafficking in its and its producer’s workforce.

Training in Environmental Issues and Minimizing Environmental Impacts

LCC trains workers and producers on key environmental issues in the cocoa supply chain, including indentifying safeguards against deforestation, organic vs chemical fertilizers, organic cocoa production, and agroforestry. LCC trains workers and producers on the rehabilitation of cocoa farms instead of cutting down forests for new plantations. LCC commits to protect biodiversity through its trainings in farm maintenance, agroforestry, and deforestation.

Non-Discrimination and Equal Pay

LCC does not discriminate in hiring, remuneration, access to training, promotion, termination, or retirement based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, union membership, political affiliation, HIV/Aids status or age.

Prioritize Health and Safety

LCC will provide a safe and healthy working environment for workers and producers in accordance with national and local laws and ILO convention on health and safety.

Building the skill of producers for positive developmental impacts

LCC commits to constantly working directly with Producers develop specific activities to help our producers improve their management skills and production capabilities. LCC has an intensive program of good agricultural and business practices that leads to better business outcomes, and higher incomes from cocoa trade and implements this program with all its producers.

Good Agricultural Practices

LCC trains and incentivizes good agricultural practice via a Training of Trainers (ToT) methodology for increased cocoa quality and productivity with all its farmers. There are lead farmers called village coordinators (VCs), both male and female, in all supplying communities. These VCs act as trainers of GAP, as knowledge hubs, as role models, and as motivators for the highest quality cocoa production. This commitment leads to increased incomes through higher yields and a better price for high-quality cocoa offered by LCC.

Poverty Reduction through Fair Trade

Liberia Cocoa Corporation (LCC) prioritizes improving the socio-economic conditions of economically marginalized producers and workers. LCC seeks to move them from income insecurity to economic empowerment through community engagement, building capacity, providing a ready market, providing a fair price for producers that allows them to earn an income at a local living wage level, and providing a local living and fair wage for workers

Cocoa is traded transparently

LCC is transparent in management and commercial relations. We trade Cocoa with openness and honesty. Prices for cocoa are displayed transparently at all buying points, with agents, and at warehouses. Receipts in triplicate are provided to all parties for each transaction or movement of cocoa. Receipt records are available for external and internal audit and can be called upon when a dispute or issue is raised.

Traceability

We commit to have all cocoa in our premium supply chain traceable to the farm level using a paper-based receipting system and digital records at the warehouse/head office.