The climate crisis has created problems for the environment and demands immediate and fundamental behavior change on the part of all of us.

Floods, seasonal variations and temperature rises are becoming more frequent and are affecting the cocoa plantations of our producers who are on the front line. This is why we believe that a genuine stand is needed to protect future generations and ensure the preservation of life.

As part of our Global Climate Commitment, ECOM has committed to having net-zero emissions in our value chain by 2050 and working with Science Based Target (SBTi) initiatives. Our emission reduction scope includes our direct operations and extends to the entire supply chain (Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3, in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol).

What are the actions that ECOM is taking at the Latin American
level?

It is important to highlight that as a country, Ecuador has established itself as the first in the world to recognize the rights of nature in its 2008 Constitution through articles 71-74. Article 414 of the Constitution of the same framework establishes:

"The State will adopt adequate and transversal measures to mitigate climate change, by limiting greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and air pollution; it will take measures for the conservation of forests and vegetation; and will protect the population at risk."

At ECOM Latin America, we seek to promote a lasting positive impact on cocoa ecosystems. Our objective is to protect and regenerate nature and to achieve this, we are developing innovative solutions and building resilient ecosystems within our production chain.

One of our first steps regarding this mission is our solar panel system installed at the Agroarriba (Ecuador) plant, a project that began in June 2022 and ended in September 2022 led by our Operations Manager, Vicente Ortiz. This project will allow us to reduce our Scope 2 emissions by 96.5%, which means that our CO2 emissions from electricity, currently at 59.4 MT CO2-e, willbe reduced to 2.07 MT CO2- and.

How does this work, and what is our next step? 

With the new solar panel system, we will decrease our CO2 emissions by 100 tons each year. In addition, this project will allow us to save up to $20,000 per year in a few months, a profit that will be used to finance our next sustainable projects. For example, by 2023, our goal is to replace all of our LPG-powered forklifts with ones that are 100% electric, and we also plan to switch our gas dryers to electric.

LPG gas is used as a fuel gas in heating appliances, cooking equipment, and vehicles. It is increasingly used as an aerosol propellant and refrigerant to replace chlorofluorocarbons in an effort to reduce damage to the ozone layer.

When used specifically as a vehicle fuel, it is often referred to as "autogas" and has adverse effects on the environment. LPG contains propane, and is normally stored as a liquid. Although LPG is not a noxious stray gas, it is still a case of a greenhouse effect.

"We believe in becoming a company that generates a positive impact, that looks to the future; every effort we make is aimed at safeguarding the right of the next generation to a harmonious future."  - Thomas deFrance (Country Manager Ecuador)

ECOM is committed to acting accordingly on this path, which will surely bring new challenges tothe supply chain, production processes, businesses, and individual practices.

You can find more information about our Climate Commitment on the link below:

Climate Pledge

Article by: Cecilia Toro, Bertille de France

Copy Edit: Camila Olmedo