Five year program targets low carbon, climate resilient cocoa across 5,250 hectares in the Dominican Republic and Ecuador
Raw ingredients drive 65% of Mars’ snacking portfolio emissions, making cocoa a priority lever for its Net Zero Roadmap
Agroforestry practices tested through the partnership could inform wider supply chain decarbonization strategies
Mars, Incorporated and cocoa trader Sucden have launched a five-year collaboration aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and strengthening climate resilience across cocoa farms in the Dominican Republic and Ecuador. Running from 2025 to 2029, the initiative focuses on translating corporate climate targets into measurable, farm-level change across one of the most emissions-intensive segments of Mars’ value chain.
The collaboration brings together Mars’ supplier engagement strategy and Sucden’s on-the-ground cocoa expertise to drive science-based emissions reductions while improving productivity and farmer livelihoods. Hundreds of farmers across priority regions are expected to participate, covering 5,250 hectares under improved agroforestry and climate-smart practices.
The program sits squarely within Mars’ broader climate strategy. Raw ingredients account for approximately 65% of the total greenhouse gas emissions from its snacking portfolio, placing agricultural supply chains at the center of the company’s decarbonisation challenge.
Climate Targets Meet Farm Economics
Mars has committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions across its full value chain by 50% by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050, measured against a 2015 baseline. Supplier collaborations such as this one are designed to address emissions at their source, while mitigating risks tied to climate volatility, deforestation, and declining yields.
Participating farmers will be encouraged to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices including improved planting materials, low-carbon fertilisers, aerobic composting, and agroforestry systems. These interventions are intended to improve soil health, enhance productivity, and lower emissions intensity per tonne of cocoa produced.
Pedro Amaral, Associate Director and Head of Cocoa Climate Sustainability at Mars, framed the initiative as a necessary evolution in how the company works with its supply chain. “The world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today, and we can only achieve our sustainability ambitions by working with like-minded value-chain partners,” he said. “That’s why Mars is working with suppliers to help build a deforestation and conversion-free cocoa supply chain.”
He added that the collaboration is designed to deliver shared value. “This collaboration with Sucden aims to encourage farmers to implement practices in Latin America that can help increase their yields while reducing our supply chain emissions, helping deliver mutual benefits for farmers, suppliers and Mars.”
RELATED ARTICLE: Mars Launches Climate School to Embed Net Zero Literacy Across Global Workforce
Measuring What Matters
A defining feature of the program is its emphasis on quantification and verification. Sucden’s technical partners will support project design and monitoring using advanced modelling tools and field-based assessments to measure emissions reductions and long-term environmental outcomes.
This data-driven approach reflects growing scrutiny from investors, regulators, and civil society over the credibility of corporate climate claims, particularly in agricultural supply chains where measurement remains complex.
Charlotte Demuijnck, Global Cocoa Program Manager at Sucden, highlighted the operational demands of delivering emissions reductions at farm level. “Addressing the climate challenges facing cocoa today demands coordinated action and specialized capabilities,” she said. “Sucden brings deep on-the-ground experience in cocoa production systems, farmer engagement and sustainability program delivery, capabilities that are essential to implementing complex, multi-year climate initiatives.”
She added that the partnership aims to balance climate outcomes with supply security. “Through our strategic partnership with Mars, we aim to deliver robust, science-based interventions that support farmers, reduce emissions and strengthen the long-term resilience of the cocoa supply chain in Ecuador and the Dominican Republic.”
Implications for the Wider Cocoa Market
If the agroforestry and low-carbon practices deployed under the program demonstrate strong results, Mars has signalled that they could be scaled more broadly across its cocoa supply chain. For an industry facing mounting pressure from climate impacts, deforestation regulation, and investor expectations, scalable models that align emissions reduction with productivity gains are increasingly seen as essential.
The initiative also reflects a broader shift among multinational food companies toward deeper, longer-term supplier partnerships that move beyond certification and into operational transformation. For executives and investors, the program offers a case study in how Scope 3 emissions strategies are being operationalised in high-risk agricultural systems.
As climate risks intensify across cocoa-producing regions, collaborations such as this one may shape not only corporate decarbonisation pathways, but the future viability of the global cocoa sector itself.
Follow ESG News on LinkedIn
