The cocoa chain is shaped as an hour glass. While there are millions of producers and consumers there is only a small number of multinational traders, processors, chocolate manufacturers and retailers. Although small in number, these big industrial players have a lot of influence within the chain.
The risks for supplier failure have been a major drive for them to work towards a sustainable cocoa chain. In practice this results in efforts to source directly from producers, and to embrace certification schemes. But sustainability does not end here. Sustainability is also about sustainable practices higher up in the value chain, and improving industries' core business.