Responsabilidade social corporativa na produção de cacau: análise das ações da indústria de chocolate

Abstract

Cocoa cultivation is an important income source for millions of small farmers around the world, most of them in countries with low per capita GDP and infrastructure problems. In addition, cocoa cultivation faces problems related to price volatility, low productivity, poor working conditions and the incidence of pests and diseases. In this context, socially responsible actions undertaken by chocolate companies can generate improvements in the social and economic development of rural communities. The aim of this paper was to identify the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices employed by the six largest chocolate manufacturers in the world, specifically those that directly affect cocoa farmers. CSR aims to promote ethical, responsible and supportive relationships between companies and society. The results show that all the companies analyzed invest in programs that benefit the communities of producers and have strategies for the acquisition of sustainable cocoa. Such actions are especially necessary in the cocoa chain because of the difficulties faced by producers.