One in four cocoa farm audits in Ivory Coast show data manipulation to meet sustainability targets

ETH researchers have revealed that data manipulation occurs in one out of every four cases of cocoa cultivation records in Côte d’Ivoire that are submitted to a sustainability program. The study, conducted by scientists at ETH Zurich, found that when auditors were aware of the specific target values required by the program, the rate of fraudulent alterations rose sharply. Conversely, when those target values were not disclosed to the auditors, the frequency of manipulation dropped by roughly half.

The investigation examined the integrity of reporting mechanisms used by cocoa producers to meet sustainability criteria linked to the EU Deforestation Regulation. By comparing records where auditors had full knowledge of the benchmarks against those where such information was withheld, the researchers quantified the influence of transparency on compliance behaviour. The findings suggest that the mere presence of clear, enforceable targets can inadvertently encourage data distortion, while limiting access to those targets can reduce the incentive to falsify information.

These results carry significant implications for stakeholders involved in the cocoa supply chain. Companies, public authorities, and certification bodies can use the insights to design audit frameworks that balance transparency with safeguards against manipulation, thereby strengthening the credibility of sustainability claims and supporting the broader goals of the EU Deforestation Regulation.