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Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group, a leading conglomerate, through it’s cocoa sourcing company, Fludor Ghana Limited, has joined forces with the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) to address the pressing issue of child labour and forced labour within Africa’s cocoa supply chain.
This significant collaboration underlines TGI Group’s unwavering commitment to ethical and responsible business practices, particularly in the realm of human rights and child protection. TGI Group, via its subsidiaries Fludor Ghana, WACOT Limited (Nigeria) and Vink Corporation (UAE), aligns with the ICI’s mission to create a better future for children and eradicate child labour from cocoa-growing communities.
Speaking on the collaboration, Dennis Sampong, Country Head of Fludor Ghana, emphasized, “Embracing membership in ICI is both timely and fitting for Fludor. Our commitment to tackling human rights and child labor concerns within our supply chain perfectly aligns with ICI’s vision for a cocoa supply chain devoid of child labor and forced labor. Achieving a sustainable cocoa supply chain is impossible if the young minds shaping the future of cocoa production remain uninformed and human rights violations persist.
He further affirms how deep-rooted collaboration, especially with ICI, is to the Group’s operation mandate, saying, “This partnership empowers us to remain at the forefront of industry best practices, ensuring the protection and well-being of every stakeholder involved.”
Matthias Lange, ICI Executive Director, highlighted the impact of the collaboration, stating, “As a Ghana-based licensed buyer with an extensive farmer network and cocoa operations, this partnership with Fludor brings us one step closer to achieving our target to reach all children at risk of child labor. We look forward to supporting their efforts to tackle child labor and learning from their experiences.”
The collaboration will focus on implementing ICI’s Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS), a credible mechanism designed to identify, prevent, and remediate child labour risks and cases within the cocoa supply chain.
By integrating their efforts, TGI Group and ICI aim to uphold the highest standards of ethical business conduct, ensuring full compliance with the forthcoming European Union’s Mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence (mHRDD) regulations and Forced Labour regulation.
The alliance between TGI Group and ICI emphasizes their shared dedication to promoting human rights in Africa’s cocoa supply chain. Through their combined expertise and resources, they endeavor to pave the way for a more ethical, sustainable, and child-safe cocoa industry in the continent.
