The Geneva-based cocoa and coffee merchant Walter Matter has joined ICI as a contributing partner, as part of its efforts to address the issue of child labour in the cocoa value chain.
The 100-year-old family run company has been sourcing cocoa from various origins around the world, including Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
“Joining ICI is a way for us to partner with experts to address the crucial issue of child labour in the cocoa sector. ICI and its members have shown significant know-how over the past years, and we will be pleased to bring our contribution. Partnerships are key to building a positive impact on the ground. Being part of a larger network will enable us to share knowledge, expertise and best practices, which will ultimately help us to make a difference to the lives of cocoa farmers and their families,” said Mr Nicolas Matter, Walter Matter’s CEO.
For Nick Weatherill, Executive Director of ICI, welcoming Walter Matter to the organisation is a further illustration of support for ICI’s mission and new strategy, and a growing trend of businesses leaning in to identify and address the human rights risks in their supply-chains.
“We are thrilled to welcome Walter Matter to the organisation. Their long history in the sector and their experience with other commodities such as coffee bring an important perspective to ICI, and we are looking forward to working with them in the future,” he said.
“Our 2021-2026 Strategy has been designed to support the scale up of systems that prevent and address child labour and forced labour risks in the cocoa sector, to reach all those at risk, so it is heartening to have new member companies like Walter Matter join us on this journey to amplify our collective impact,” Weatherill added.