25.06.2024 - The Board of the German Initiative on Sustainable Cocoa (GISCO) has elected Aldo Cristiano as the new Chairman.

Evelyn Bahn from INKOTA-netzwerk e.V. and Florian Schütze from Schwarz Group were re-elected as Deputy-Chairpersons.

Aldo Cristiano, Head of Institutional Affairs & Sustainability at Ferrero in Germany, assumes the position of Chairman of the Board at GISCO with immediate effect. Cristiano sees his primary task in dedicating himself to the foundational principles and objectives of the initiative beyond his coordinating role as Chairman.

"Leading an initiative like GISCO means being there for all members and acting as a mediator in conflicts to achieve our common goals. Our work continues to focus on the cocoa supply chain and its cocoa farmers. I would like to use my chairmanship to promote this and move GISCO forward," Cristiano stated. In 2024 and 2025, "Inclusive strategies for living incomes" will be at the forefront of GISCO's work.

Aldo Cristiano has been active in the global confectionery business for over 25 years and is also the Vice President of the European Confectionery Association CAOBISCO and the Vice President of the German Confectionery Association BDSI. Moreover, he is involved in numerous other committees in the food industry, the confectionery sector, and specific supply chain industries. In the cocoa sector, Aldo Cristiano has served as chairman or board member at the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI), the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF), and the Federation of Cocoa Commerce (FCC). He is currently the chairman of the Foundation of the German Cocoa and Chocolate Industry.