More than 300 environmental, human rights and good governance NGOs have signed a letter outlining steps the Ghanaian and Ivorian governments should take to encourage sustainable cocoa while supporting farmers and protecting forests, environmental advocacy organization Mighty Earth reported.

Cocoa organizations in Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire now say sustainability programs carried out by chocolate makers and confectionery companies can work in harmony with the new per-tonne living income differential the countries established in July.

Cocoa organizations in Cote D’Ivoire and Ghana are reviewing the status of all cocoa sustainability and certification programs to put greater emphasis on implementing the living income differential the countries established in July.

Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire have agreed to institute a per-tonne “living income differential” as part of a new payment structure designed to fortify incomes of the countries’ cocoa producers.

Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire have suspended pre-sales of the 2020-2021 season cocoa crop as the governments work to institute a base price for cocoa from those countries.

Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, along with leading chocolate and cocoa companies, are releasing action plans to end deforestation in the cocoa sector and restore forest areas.

Guittard Chocolate Co., as part of its Cultivate Better sustainability platform, has expanded its flavor quality work in Ghana, Ivory Coast and Indonesia.

The Hershey Co. has announced a new package of environmental initiatives and commitments, including establishing a new comprehensive environmental policy, signing the United Nations Global Compact and joining the Science Based Targets initiative.