TGI Group has announced a partnership with the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) to combat child and forced labour in Africa’s cocoa industry.
The partnership will involve implementing a system to monitor and remediate child labour risks and cases within the cocoa supply chain of TGI Group’s subsidiaries, Fludor Ghana, WACOT Limited (Nigeria) and Vink Corporation (UAE).
According to the company, the collaboration aimed to promote ethical and responsible business practices and ensure human rights and child protection while creating a better future for children to eradicate child labour from cocoa-growing communities.
The country head of Fludor Ghana, Dennis Sampong, said that the partnership with ICI was timely and fitting for Fludor, as it would enable them to tackle human rights and child labour concerns within their supply chain and ensure the protection and well-being of every stakeholder involved.
He also said that the partnership would help them to remain at the forefront of industry best practices and comply with the forthcoming European Union’s regulations on human rights due diligence and forced labour.
ICI executive director, Matthias Lange welcomed the partnership with Fludor, saying that it would bring them one step closer to achieving their target to reach all children at risk of child labour.
He also said that he looked forward to supporting Fludor’s efforts and learning from their experiences.
The partnership will focus on implementing ICI’s Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS), as a mechanism designed to identify, prevent, and remediate child labour risks and cases within the cocoa supply chain.
The CLMRS involves training and sensitising farmers and communities on child labour issues, collecting and analysing data on child labour indicators, providing remediation services to children and families affected by child labour, and reporting on the progress and impact of the system.
