At its general meeting in May 2019, the German Initiative on Sustainable Cocoa decided to define sustainable cocoa as follows:

We define sustainable cocoa as cocoa that is produced in accordance with economic, ecological and social requirements, which means that its production is economical, environmentally friendly and socially responsible, without compromising the ability of future generations to satisfy their own needs.

We are working towards a sustainable cocoa sector by

• a future-oriented economic action by all actors along the value chain leading to the enablement of a living income for cocoa farmers.
  
• preserving natural resources, especially forest resources with their biodiversity.
  
• ensuring that human rights are respected along the value chain and, in particular, eliminating the worst forms of child labor.