How the Certification Process Works

The International Cocoa Verification Board is a non-profit, multi-stakeholder organization convened by Verite in December 2007. The focus is to ensure the independent verification of certification efforts to evaluate the occurrence of the worst forms of child labour or forced adult labour in cocoa producing areas in Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana.

Verifying the soundness of the data collection methodologies and the accuracy of survey findings helps to ensure that remediation efforts are more strategically focused on the areas and issues that are in greatest need of remediation. Reliable data informs meaningful, enduring change for cocoa producing communities in Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana. All stakeholders, from governments to civil society, will be able to use the results of this verification effort to strengthen their work going forward.

The publication of the first independent verification report in December 2008 was another milestone in the certification process. Click here to view.

The certification process:

Data Collection: Monitoring teams, made up of local experts, visit a statistically valid sample of cocoa farms to check conditions on the ground with the farmers and children themselves.

Reporting: Data reporting by the Governments of the Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana in a public and transparent manner.

Remediation/Response: Any issues of concern are followed up by relevant authorities and through programmes in the community.

Independent Verification: The entire process is reviewed by the Independent Verification Board which is comprised of governments, industry, NGOs and third-party experts.
 


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