Green galore! The results of the 2026 Chocolate Scorecard are in – and we’re suuuuper proud to be 1 of only 2 companies to achieve an overall green score, with HALBA taking the top spot (congrats!!).
Published annually, the Chocolate Scorecard rates companies worldwide on key sustainability issues in cocoa. Coordinated by Be Slavery Free alongside universities, consultants + NGOs, the scorecard celebrates the frontrunners while calling out those who can (and should!) do better.
And this year, the bar got higher, shifting from aspiration to action by scoring companies on what they’ve actually measured, paid + changed. So how did Tony’s measure up.. ? Let’s unwrap it!
winning the Gender Award
On top of our overall green score, Tony’s was also recognized for its progress on gender equality in cocoa – with the Gender Award!
Women play a key role in cocoa farming but face real structural barriers, like lower pay and fewer opportunities. We believe gender equality is essential to the future of cocoa. When women have equal access to income, training, resources + decision‑making, families and communities are better positioned for long‑term resilience.
To make this real, we developed + implemented a Gender Roadmap. While many of the initiatives mentioned will run beyond 2026, we’re also developing an updated gender strategy, to be published later this year. Stay tuned!
leading on living income, child labor + deforestation
We’re beyond proud to rank #1 on living income this year, championing our commitment to enabling farmers to earn + maintain at least a living income. Enabling a living income remains one of the hardest challenges in the industry, and we see our score as a testament to the sustained effort invested in strengthening our living income vision.
Through Tony’s Open Chain, we’ve been committed to paying a Living Income Reference Price for years, alongside long-term partnerships, shared investment in productivity + targeted support to help farmers build resilience and make progress towards a living income. Getting there at scale will take continued effort, learning and collective action – but we’re in it for the long haul!
Just like previous years, we also received top marks in the child labor + deforestation categories. Hooray!
room to grow: agroforestry + pesticides
We’re not perfect, and we’re the first to say it. We know we can raise the bar when it comes to agroforestry and pesticide use. This year, both were under pressure, due to stricter, impact‑driven expectations.
On pesticides, we ranked 4th out of 34 companies and scored yellow under tougher criteria – a shift we welcome. Through the evolved Tony’s Open Chain productivity program, we’re embedding Integrated Pest Management into farmer coaching, reducing unnecessary spraying and moving towards safe application.
On agroforestry, we’ve stepped up too, increasing shade, tree density + diversity. Through our Farm Transformation package, we support farmers with tailored plans, coaching and funded implementation to build more resilient, diversified farms.
progress works best together
BIGGEST congrats again to HALBA for taking 1st place this year! We’re beyond excited to see another choco brand raising the bar. ’Cause it’s only together that we’ll be able to change the industry and end exploitation in cocoa.
And that includes you, too!
’Cause with every bite, you’re joining our sweet movement for change!
Tastes chunkin’ good, eh? 🤤🍫
Psst! Craving more details? Check out the full Chocolate Scorecard!
