Charbonnel et Walker
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
London chocolatier known for its Marc de Champagne truffles.
Charbonnel et Walker publishes no certification, independent audit or supplier list, and we couldn't confirm where it gets most of its cocoa.
Also worth knowing
Most cocoa is grown in countries such as Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, where workers are very unlikely to earn a living wage.
Better-graded chocolate
Graded higher than Charbonnel et Walker, selling the same kinds of things.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and a hidden supply chain. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 1 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsJudged on where cocoa is usually grown: worker rights are poorly protected in Ecuador, Cameroon and Nigeria.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
- Not met: Finds and fixes child labour on cocoa farms (Fairtrade, Fair for Life or its own published monitoring), and traces other high-risk ingredients (hazelnuts and palm oil) where they're a major part of its range
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain: no certification, independent audits or supplier list
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Estimates for its products
Our rules applied to one kind of product at a time, using Charbonnel et Walker's evidence and, where it has product lines, that line's countries. They're estimates: we don't know which factory made any single item.
- A product carrying the Fairtrade mark: Good
Holding one? Scan its barcode for an estimate that uses its care label or ingredients.
Where its cocoa is grown
We couldn't confirm where Charbonnel et Walker gets most of its cocoa, so this shows where cocoa is usually grown.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Côte d'Ivoire | Regular violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Ghana | Strong protections | Well below a living wage | Low |
| Ecuador | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Cameroon | Systematic violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Nigeria | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Indonesia | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: an estimated 1.5 million children work on cocoa farms in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, and most cocoa farmers earn well below a living income.
- It doesn't show that it checks cocoa farms for child labour and fixes what it finds.
- Uses hazelnuts and palm oil in only a few products and doesn't show where they come from. That doesn't count against it for Good, but the "Open supply chain" star needs all of them traced, certified or upcycled.
Research notes Charbonnel et Walker says its cocoa is 100% sustainably sourced through Barry Callebaut's Cocoa Horizons Foundation, which works with farmers in unnamed West African countries and pays a premium audited by a third party. It does not name its origin countries, suppliers or farms, publish a modern slavery statement, or report child labour monitoring or prices paid. Its range is not Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance certified. Hazelnut praline and palm oil (in fudge) appear in some assortments, with no origin given.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate Scorecard | Not covered | Charbonnel et Walker is not among the companies sourcing over 1,000 tonnes of cocoa invited to the 2026 (7th edition) Chocolate Scorecard and has no score. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Chocolatier Charbonnel et Walker snaps up rival House of Dorchester (The Grocer) · search the archive · Charbonnel et Walker bought House of Dorchester and its Poundbury factory
- Galvin Weston (CBBC China Consumer 2025) · search the archive · Chairman Galvin Weston acquired the company in 1995; production moved to a factory in Poundbury, Dorset in 2018
- Charbonnel et Walker Luxury Assortment 315g (John Lewis) · search the archive · Materials: praline paste contains hazelnuts and vanilla fudge contains palm oil, in this assortment; made in the UK; no origin given
- Charbonnel et Walker at Selfridges (Australia site) · search the archive · Truffles and selections sold online to Australian shoppers in dollars; no Australian shops found
- Charbonnel et Walker (Wikipedia) · search the archive · London chocolatier founded 1875, shop in the Royal Arcade, Bond Street
Published by Charbonnel et Walker or its owner
- Sustainability (Charbonnel et Walker) · search the archive · 100% sustainably sourced cocoa via the Cocoa Horizons Foundation from West Africa; premiums audited annually by a third party; no countries named
Company details
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Charbonnel et Walker ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/charbonnel-et-walker, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Charbonnel et Walker.