Evaluating biodiversity risks in Ecuador

In Ecuador, ECOM has worked with Nature-based Insights (NbI) and Reckitt to carry out biodiversity screening of agricultural land. The assessments help us evaluate risk levels attached to the land, providing valuable information to support sustainable cocoa production. The assessments are paired with our own research into carbon and climate risks, as well as our knowledge of farming densities and existing interventions like Rainforest Alliance certification rates.

For each area, NbI extracted geospatial data from 16 individual data layers, looking at the following:

• • Present risk levels from natural disasters
• • The importance of local biodiversity
• • Carbon stock and historical emissions
• • The integrity of ecosystems
• • The extent of natural ecosystems and historical loss

The areas are then ranked according to risk level, enabling us to prioritise those best suited for farming and those to be conserved.

For more information about how this relates to our Smarter Cocoa Charter, see our 2023 ECOM Cocoa Report found here.