Tony's Chocolonely Celebrates Sustainability in Cocoa Supply

Tony's Chocolonely has achieved one of only two overall green scores in the 2026 Chocolate Scorecard. The company shares this distinction with HALBA, which took first position overall. The scorecard evaluates chocolate manufacturers on supply chain sustainability metrics. These include living income, child labour, deforestation, gender equality, agroforestry and pesticide use.

Be Slavery Free coordinates the annual assessment in collaboration with universities, consultants and non-governmental organisations. The 2026 edition placed greater weight on measurable outcomes within cocoa supply chains rather than stated commitments. This methodology change responds to demands from investors, NGOs and consumers for concrete evidence of sustainability improvements rather than aspirational policy documents.

Tony's Chocolonely also received the Gender Award. The company operates programmes designed to address structural barriers that women face in cocoa farming supply chains, including lower pay and restricted access to resources. The Gender Roadmap includes targeted initiatives such as women-only farmer training sessions, access to financial services and leadership development programmes. These interventions aim to increase women's participation in cooperative decision-making and improve their economic independence within farming households.

Supply chain transparency initiatives

Tony's Chocolonely ranked first for living income. According to the company, this reflects its Open Chain model, which pays a Living Income Reference Price to cocoa farmers.

The Open Chain structure supports farmers through long-term partnerships and productivity investments. These arrangements aim to build resilience within farming communities in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. In practice, the model guarantees farmers a minimum price that covers production costs plus a living income benchmark, regardless of market fluctuations. This price stability enables farmers to plan investments in their farms and households with greater confidence.

The company also received top scores for its approaches to child labour prevention and deforestation monitoring. Both issues relate directly to traceability and accountability within cocoa supply chains.

Douglas Lamont, Chief Executive Officer of Tony's Chocolonely, says on LinkedIn that he is "very proud of the results we have delivered in a turbulent year for cocoa."

"Our ambition to end exploitation in cocoa rests on us showing that you can deliver a positive impact for cocoa farming families, while also delivering strong commercial results." 

The company acknowledged areas requiring further development. These include agroforestry implementation and pesticide management, where the scorecard introduced stricter impact-based criteria.

Mission Allies programme expansion

Mission Allies are companies that join Tony's Open Chain. They commit to ethical sourcing through Tony's 5 Sourcing Principles.

Partners range from brands and manufacturers to major retailers. Each uses its own products and supply chains to increase the volume of cocoa sourced according to the Open Chain standards. Mission Allies maintain their own brand identity and product development while adopting Tony's sourcing framework for their cocoa procurement.

According to Douglas in the company's 2024/2025 annual report, almost half of the beans Tony's Open Chain sourced went to other Mission Allies. The other half went to Tony's.

The company welcomed two new partners in 2025, bringing the total to 22 Mission Allies. The following companies committed to sustainable sourcing, in year order:

• 2005: Tony's Chocolonely
• 2018: Albert Heijin
• 2020: Aldi, vly
• 2021: Jokolade
• 2022: The Flower Farm, Plus, Ben & Jerry's, Koro Source, Pleese
• 2023: Huel, Cococo, Hema, Jumbo, Waitrose, Pip & Hut
• 2024: Feastables, Holie foods, Johnny Cashew, Colruyt
• 2025: Koeckebackers

Each Mission Ally operates within the Open Chain framework. This could mean more companies adopt similar sourcing standards across their chocolate supply chains.

Foundation supports farming communities

The Chocolonely Foundation operates independently from Tony's Chocolonely. It has its own board and decision-making authority. The Foundation focuses on projects in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. These include funding social programmes such as school fees and community stability initiatives.

Tony's Chocolonely donates 1% of its net revenue annually to the Foundation. The Foundation then invests in projects designed to strengthen cocoa-growing communities.

According to the company, these investments aim to reduce poverty and improve living conditions in cocoa-growing regions. Support includes education assistance and aid for victims of human trafficking and exploitation.

While Tony's produces and sells chocolate made with responsibly sourced cocoa using its 5 Sourcing Principles, the Foundation provides complementary support. This includes helping farmers manage income gaps during the cocoa season.

Douglas congratulates HALBA: "BIGGEST congrats again to HALBA for taking first place this year! We're beyond excited to see another choco brand raising the bar. 'Cause it's only together that we'll be able to change the industry and end exploitation in cocoa."

Tony's continues to strengthen its Integrated Pest Management practices. The company is expanding its Farm Transformation programme, which supports farmers through tailored coaching, increased tree diversity and funded implementation efforts.

The programme provides one-on-one agronomic support to help farmers improve yields while reducing chemical inputs. Participating farmers receive training in soil health management, crop diversification and climate adaptation techniques. The company funds the implementation of recommended practices, removing financial barriers that might otherwise prevent farmers from adopting more sustainable methods.