Use of pesticides

Storck expects all suppliers of raw cocoa and products made from it to only deliver goods that meet German and European food regulatory requirements. This includes observing the provisions on permitted and prohibited pesticides as well as the requirements for the maximum levels of pesticide residues under Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005.

We only procure cocoa from countries that have signed the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP) and are committed to minimising the use plant protection products that are on the Stockholm Convention’s list of banned substances. In addition, we are working with the “EU Pesticides Database” list of banned substances for cocoa and the banned substance lists and application requirements of the standard setters Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance.

• Fairtrade standard “Hazardous Materials List” (Annex 2: International Red List of Prohibited Materials)

• Rainforest Alliance Exceptional Use Policy

Nearly 100% of the cocoa beans and cocoa products purchased by us are certified as sustainable or correspondingly verified. Therefore, the requirements of the Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade standards on plant protection products apply for the cocoa farmers and the suppliers of raw materials delivered to us. In addition to bans, these requirements include positive lists of known and permitted active substances. Dangerous pesticides according to the FAO/WHO definition are prohibited. Compliance with the requirements is verified through audits.

The responsible use of pesticides, safe storage and continuous reduction of their use are communicated through the certification programmes. We provide training on the use of pesticides for farmers and cooperatives in our projects. Integrated pest management (IPM) is a central element of this training. In doing so, we impart practical knowledge to minimise the use of plant protection products and to promote alternatives such as natural enemies, better crop rotation and resistant plants. Special emphasis is placed on the safe use of pesticides, their storage and protective clothing. We provide personal protective equipment in our projects. Vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant women are generally not permitted to apply pesticides.

We perform receiving inspections of raw materials as part of our residue monitoring programme. Pesticide residue testing is conducted by a government-accredited testing institute that evaluates compliance with German and European food regulatory requirements. No abnormalities have been found to date.