By next year over  160 million Galaxy chocolate bars will carry the Rainforest Alliance mark in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The Rainforest Alliance works to ensure biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods. It works with both consumers and businesses.  They offer an adopt-a-rainforest program which allows individuals to sponsor and support a environmental work to protect and repair rainforests around the world.

Mars, the owners of Galaxy chocolate, have committed to certifying its entire range of cocoa as Rainforest Alliance approved but the privately owned company will need until 2020 to achieve this.

Greenpeace have said the move was necessary. John Sauven, Greenpeace’s CEO, told the press that; “The global agricultural producers and buyers have to move to sustainable practices if we are to have any chance of saving the rainforests.”

This is not the first time Mars has worked to achieve Rainforest Alliance certification. In 2008 Mars Drinks was able to achieve the certificate for three of its Flavia coffee products.

Mars CEO, Paul Michaels, insisted that Mars was committed to sustainability. He said, “Our commitment to sustainability is serious and long-term, and this announcement is a major step towards our global commitment to purchase only cocoa that is certified as being produced in a sustainable manner,”.

In Pure Spirit

What do you think? Is this a step in the right direction for Mars or is this a splash in the ocean?

Does the company need more than ten years in order to get its cocoa supply in order?