With Easter just around the corner, many shoppers will soon be stocking up on chocolate eggs and treats.
For those who want their chocolate choices to reflect ethical and environmental values, a new report from Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN UK) offers useful insights.
Chocolate Scorecard ranks global brands
The Chocolate Scorecard, now in its sixth edition, is produced by Be Slavery Free and assesses how chocolate companies perform across key ethical areas.
It evaluates brands on supply chain transparency, whether they ensure farmers earn a living income, and efforts to prevent child labour.
It also considers environmental practices, including climate action, deforestation policies, support for agroforestry and the use of pesticides.
Top performers: Tony’s Chocolonely and Ritter Sport
Tony’s Chocolonely (beware of recall for some eggs) and Ritter Sport emerged as two of the most sustainable chocolate producers globally.
Their performance across all categories earned them top marks, particularly for traceability and strong commitments to farmer welfare and environmental responsibility.
Cadbury maker Mondelez receives ‘Bad Egg’ award
In contrast, Mondelez — the company behind Cadbury, Toblerone, Green&Black’s and Oreo — received the ‘Bad Egg’ award.
The report criticises Mondelez for a lack of transparency, stating that the company failed to provide any information for the scorecard.
UK and international collaboration on pesticides
PAN UK, working alongside Conservation Alliance International, specifically assessed how companies manage the use of harmful pesticides.
Their findings fed into the broader scorecard, highlighting which brands actively seek to reduce chemical harm in their supply chains.
You can read the full scorecard and see how all the brands ranked on the PAN UK website.
