International Cocoa Initiative

ICI is a Swiss-based, non-profit foundation that works to ensure a better future for children in cocoa growing communities. It is a multi-stakeholder partnership advancing the elimination of child labour and forced labour, by uniting the forces of the cocoa and chocolate industry, civil society, farming communities, governments, international organizations and donors. ICI was created following a recommendation in the 2001 Harkin-Engel Protocol for the establishment of an independent foundation to oversee and sustain efforts to eliminate child labour in cocoa, including by implementing projects and serving as a clearinghouse for good practices3. ICI’s founding 2002 Charter established the organization’s remit accordingly, also including forced labour.

Our Mission

We work together with ourmembers and partners to improve the lives of children and adults at risk of child labour and forced labour in cocoa-growing communities. We innovate, catalyse and support the development, implementation and scale-up of effective policies and practices that promote child rights and that prevent or remediate child labour and forced labour.

We are committed to contributing to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular supporting the fulfilment of SDG 8.7 (the eradication of child labour and forced labour), in addition to the advancement of the United Nations Guiding Principles for Human Rights in business (UNGPs) in the cocoa sector.