Zero Deforestation Policy

Philipp Kauffmann

01. Mai 2022

Forests First, Always.
For us, cacao begins in the forest. Not in cleared land, not in monocultures, but in living ecosystems where trees, wildlife, and farming families thrive together.

That is why Original Beans is committed to zero deforestation across all origins. We do not convert forests for cacao. Instead, we help protect and regenerate them.

Because real chocolate should heal the future, not steal it.

What zero deforestation means to us
Zero deforestation means no further conversion of forest land for cacao production. Forests are identified according to national regulations and globally recognised High Carbon Stock (HCS) and High Conservation Value (HCV) frameworks.

But definitions alone do not protect forests. Actions do. Our approach is guided by the regeneration pathways set out in our Regeneration Catalogue, particularly:

Solution 6 – Protect Rainforest, Now
Together with our growers, we actively safeguard pristine rainforest landscapes and support Indigenous stewardship.

Solution 7 – Keep Your Wilderness
Through our foundation, we invest directly in conservation so biodiversity can recover and flourish.

Solution 8 – Plant Trees (in the Right Way)
With our long-standing one4one programme, customers and growers help plant and nurture millions of trees in origin, restoring degraded land through agroforestry.

Solution 9 – Invest in Climate Forests
We go beyond neutrality by supporting forests that capture carbon and strengthen climate resilience for generations to come.

Zero deforestation is therefore not a checkbox. It is a continuous practice of protection, restoration, and long-term partnership.

How we grow cacao without clearing forests
All Original Beans cacao is cultivated in diverse agroforestry systems, where cacao grows beneath a natural canopy alongside native trees.

Responsible forest management may include:

Using timber trees planted by farming families
Selective use of individual trees within agroforestry systems (max. 10 per hectare annually)
Removing fast-growing trees on previously degraded land to enable full ecological restoration

What we never do: clear natural forest for cacao.

Monitoring, learning, improving
Forest protection lives or dies in the field. That is why our local teams work side by side with growers, providing training on biodiversity, land stewardship, and regenerative practices.

If our standards are not upheld, partnerships end. Protecting forests is non-negotiable.

A shared responsibility
Every partner we work with formally commits to our Zero Deforestation Policy. But the responsibility extends further, to chefs, makers, retailers, and chocolate lovers everywhere.

When you choose Original Beans, you help protect rare forests, preserve biodiversity hotspots, and support cacao landscapes that can endure for generations. Forests first. Chocolate follows.