Airbus supports Barry Callebaut’s mission to build a deforestation-free cocoa supply chain
Toulouse, France – December 9, 2025 – Airbus Defence and Space is partnering with global chocolate and cocoa producer Barry Callebaut to monitor deforestation across its entire cocoa supply chain using the Starling platform, which leverages satellite imagery. This collaboration underpins Barry Callebaut’s goal of a deforestation-free sourcing network and includes a thorough risk assessment spanning the company’s global operations.
“Airbus isn’t just a trusted, data-driven provider; it’s a strategic ally for Barry Callebaut in identifying deforestation risks,” stated Juliette Cody, Director of Global Sustainability Programs at Barry Callebaut. “Starling’s insights have become foundational to advancing our forest-positive commitments.”
Eric Even, Head of Space Digital at Airbus Defence and Space, added: “We’re proud to support Barry Callebaut through Starling, delivering optical satellite imagery at resolutions from 10 meters up to Pléiades Neo’s 30-centimeter capability. With real eyes in the sky, satellite data enables organizations to make informed decisions and maintain transparency across complex, global supply chains.”
As part of its Forever Chocolate initiative, Barry Callebaut has committed to sustainable sourcing. By integrating Starling, the cocoa and chocolate trader can proactively monitor and mitigate environmental risks around cocoa farms, strengthening internal controls and regulatory compliance.
Starling automatically surveys Barry Callebaut’s supply chain to map every cocoa plot. It creates global land-cover maps that distinguish natural forest, plantations, agroforestry, and other land uses, reducing false alarms. AI-driven algorithms continuously track forest-cover changes to identify deforestation and land-use transitions that would violate the company’s forest policy or applicable regulations. The platform also verifies evidence using high-resolution satellite imagery at the plot level, reducing field checks and supporting constructive discussions with buyers and suppliers. Additionally, Starling performs risk assessments to flag areas susceptible to future deforestation based on historical land use and practices.
By adopting Starling, Barry Callebaut gains reliable, up-to-date insights to engage its suppliers effectively and advance its sustainability objectives.
Starling, launched in 2016 through a collaboration between Airbus and the Earthworm Foundation, is a geospatial solution that measures environmental impact across entire supply chains to support deforestation- and conversion-free commitments. The platform combines high-resolution satellite data with open-source Sentinel imagery and Airbus constellation data to monitor vegetation-cover changes worldwide.
Cocoa plantation evolution in Ecuador (March 2023 / May 2023 / August 2023) captured with Pléiades Neo 30-centimeter resolution satellite imagery. @PléiadesNeo @AirbusDS
Sustainability #Starling #PléiadesNeo #EarthObservation
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