ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
1. Our Relationship with the Environment
Chocolate begins with the land. The flavor of every Chocolat-e bar — the bright citrus of our Madagascar bar, the earthy complexity of our Mexico bar, the gentle sweetness of our Brazilian dark milk bar — exists because farmers, soil, rainfall, and climate came together in a specific place. That connection between land and flavor is the foundation of what we do.
It would be a contradiction for a company built on terroir to be indifferent to the health of the earth. This Environmental Policy formalizes our commitments to minimize our footprint, make responsible choices in our operations and supply chain, and improve over time.
We are a small company. We do not have the resources of a large corporation, and we will not pretend otherwise. What we commit to here is honest, achievable, and directionally right — with the expectation that our ambition will grow as our capacity does.
2. Packaging
Packaging is our most direct environmental touchpoint with customers. Every bar of Chocolat-e chocolate that leaves our hands is wrapped— and we take responsibility for what that wrapping is.
CURRENT COMMITMENTS
• Chocolat-e uses eco-friendly packaging materials across our product line. Our packaging choices prioritize recyclability, compostability, or reduced material use over purely aesthetic or cost considerations.
• We will not introduce new packaging formats or materials without evaluating their environmental impact as part of the decision-making process.
• We communicate our packaging sustainability to customers where appropriate, so they can make informed disposal decisions.
ONGOING GOAL
We commit to reviewing our packaging materials annually and taking at least one measurable step each year to reduce our environmental impact — whether that is switching to a more sustainable material, reducing packaging weight, or improving end-of-life disposal guidance for customers.
3. Shipping & Carbon Footprint
Shipping is our largest source of operational carbon emissions. Every order we fulfill involves transportation — from our production facility to the customer’s door — and for corporate gifting clients, sometimes over long distances.
CURRENT PRACTICES
• We use Chocolat-e’s carbon footprint tracking tool to monitor our Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions on an ongoing basis, including those from outbound shipping.
• When shipping carrier choices are within our control, we will give preference to carriers with published sustainability commitments or to lower-emissions options.
• We consolidate shipments whenever possible to reduce the number of individual deliveries.
ASPIRATIONAL COMMITMENT
Chocolat-e’s goal is to establish a shipping emissions offset program as the company grows. We have not yet implemented carbon offsetting for shipping, and we are committed to transparency. Our target is to identify and implement a credible offset or reduction program within the next two years, with progress reported annually in our B Corp Benefits Report.
We will not make carbon-neutral or carbon-offset claims in our marketing until a verified program is in place.
4. Supplier & Sourcing Practices
The environmental footprint of our chocolate is shaped far more by what happens on cacao farms than by anything in our own operations. Deforestation, water use, soil health, and farming practices in our origin countries are material to our overall environmental impact — and to our mission.
SOURCING PHILOSOPHY
Chocolat-e sources single-origin cacao through Meridian Cacao, a Portland, Oregon-based broker committed to transparent, traceable sourcing. Effective 2026, Meridian Cacao becomes our primary cacao supplier, succeeding Valrhona, our original French sourcing partner. Our six origins — Madagascar, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Belize, and Brazil — each represent a relationship with a specific farming community whose land health is inseparable from the flavor we sell.
CURRENT COMMITMENTS
• We give sourcing preference to cooperatives and suppliers that can demonstrate environmentally responsible farming practices, including soil conservation, water stewardship, and deforestation avoidance.
• Through our Supplier Code of Conduct, we ask our suppliers to share relevant environmental documentation, including farming practice certifications and chain-of-custody records.
• We will not knowingly source from suppliers involved in deforestation, illegal land clearing, or practices that materially harm biodiversity in cacao-growing regions.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
We recognize that supply chain environmental visibility is an ongoing journey, especially for a small company working through a broker. We commit to progressively deepening our understanding of the environmental practices at each of our six origins and to sharing what we learn in our annual Benefits Report.
5. Day-to-Day Operations
Chocolat-e operates as a lean company without a dedicated production facility of our own. Our operational footprint is ymodest, but we still make deliberate choices about how we work.
• We minimize paper use in our business operations and default to digital documentation whenever practical.
• At events and tastings, we use compostable or reusable serving materials whenever available and minimize single-use waste.
• We dispose of waste — including chocolate samples, packaging offcuts, and event materials — responsibly and in accordance with local guidelines.
• When purchasing supplies, equipment, or materials for the business, we consider environmental impact along with cost and quality.
6. Reporting & Accountability
Environmental commitments only have meaning if they are tracked and reported honestly. Chocolat-e will include an environmental performance summary in our annual B Corp Benefits Report, covering packaging sustainability progress, shipping emissions data from our carbon tracker, supply chain environmental documentation status, and progress toward our shipping offset goal.
We will not overstate our environmental performance. Where we have gaps or are still working toward a goal, we will say so — and report the concrete steps we are taking to close those gaps.
7. Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed annually by both co-founders. We expect our environmental commitments to strengthen over time as the company grows, as we gain greater visibility into our supply chain, and as we implement programs — such as shipping offsets — that are currently aspirational. Each annual review will identify at least one concrete new commitment or improvement from the prior year.
8. Approval & Signatures
This policy has been reviewed and approved by Chocolat-e Inc.’s co-founders.