Behind the Chocolate: New analysis exposes potential forest loss linked to Mondelēz supply chains

A new Compliance Checker analysis by AidEnvironment uncovers forest loss potentially linked to Mondelēz International’s cocoa and palm oil supply chains, revealing a deep disconnect between the company’s sustainability claims and its actual sourcing practices. While Mondelēz has for years marketed itself as a leader in responsible cocoa and palm oil, the findings gathered in the report demonstrate that forest clearance potentially linked to its supply chains is ongoing, raising serious questions about accountability, traceability, and transparency.

The report identifies six case studies in cocoa and palm oil supply chains across Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Brazil, and Indonesia where over 4,100 hectares of native forest have been cleared after the company’s own deforestation cut-off date, in areas potentially tied to Mondelēz through direct or indirect supply chain relationships.

These findings demonstrate not isolated incidents, but the symptoms of systemic weaknesses: untraceable sourcing models, opaque supplier networks, and insufficient oversight.

Despite widely publicized investments through its Cocoa Life program and Palm Oil Action Plan, Mondelēz’s transparency has declined over time. The company has not publicly disclosed its cocoa supplier list since 2021, maintains heavy reliance on mass-balance sourcing that makes vast volumes of products inherently untraceable, and offers limited visibility into grievance handling or supplier sanctions. It also refuses to participate in sector-wide accountability efforts such as the Chocolate Scorecard, earning the lowest scores on the 2025 Cocoa Barometer. Additionally, Mondelēz has recently joined calls for delaying the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), at precisely the moment when implementation, enforcement, and accountability are most critical.

Mondelēz did not respond to repeated requests for clarification on the findings, despite outreach in November 2025. This stands in contrast to other companies that have engaged constructively with the Compliance Checker process and limits the opportunity for dialogue and collaborative improvement.

“Mondelēz helped build the narrative that traceability and compliance are achievable and then stepped back when accountability approached. If the company is serious about its commitments, it should use its market position to accelerate EUDR readiness—not slow it down,” said Sarah Drost, senior researcher at AidEnvironment.

Without genuine accountability and traceability, cocoa and palm supply chains will continue to drive silent deforestation out of sight of consumers. The report calls on Mondelēz to urgently reinstate public supplier disclosure and create a time-bound roadmap to transition from mass-balance to segregated or identity-preserved traceable supply chains.