Our commitment to education and climate action
The topic of sustainability is becoming increasingly important to us and we are making considerable resources available to achieve greater success in less time. We are guided by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN in 2015, which we can and want to help achieve.
Foreword from Management
For over three decades, the Cologne Chocolate Museum has been showcasing the fascinating history and present-day world of cocoa and chocolate. As one of Germany’s most-visited museums, we bear responsibility on many levels: to our visitors, to our employees, and for our economic success. At the same time, we are aware of the impact our actions have on the environment and society.
We therefore view sustainability not as a standalone project, but as an integral part of our strategic direction.
With this latest sustainability report, we aim to transparently demonstrate how we are fulfilling this responsibility. At the same time, we invite you to take a look behind the scenes of the Chocolate Museum on these pages and gain insight into the goals we are pursuing, the challenges we face, and the concrete measures we have already implemented on our path toward greater sustainability.
The years 2024 and 2025 were marked by significant developments for our museum. With the completion of additional sections of our redesigned permanent exhibition, we have further strengthened our role as an educational venue for sustainable development. In particular, the exhibition areas “Cocoa’s Journey Around the World” and “Cocoa’s Journey Through Time” impressively demonstrate how closely the history of cocoa is linked to global environmental, economic, and social issues. Our goal is to impart knowledge, make connections understandable, and inspire people to reflect on the impact of their own actions. In 2025, we were also recertified for the second time by the ESD Agency NRW as a center for education for sustainable development and are authorized to display this certification until 2030.
However, the exhibition isn’t just about sustainability. Within our own operations, we’re also continuously working to use resources more efficiently, reduce our energy consumption, and further develop our processes. Investments in modern building and HVAC technology, the use of electricity from renewable energy sources, and the systematic tracking of relevant environmental metrics lay the foundation for informed decisions and measurable improvements.
Equally important to us is our social responsibility throughout the cocoa value chain. Issues such as fair working conditions, exploitative child labor, ensuring a livelihood for cocoa farmers, and the protection of natural resources are central to our educational work. As a museum, we cannot solve global challenges on our own. However, we can contribute by imparting knowledge, raising awareness, and promoting dialogue on sustainable development.
We are particularly proud that we were able to set new visitor records in both reporting years. We view the trust our guests place in us as both an incentive and a responsibility. Sustainability, quality, and economic stability must go hand in hand so that the Chocolate Museum remains a vibrant place of education, encounter, and inspiration in the future.
We thank all our employees, partners, suppliers, and guests who are walking this path with us. Sustainability is a shared responsibility. We are pleased to present our progress, goals, and outlook to you in this report, and we cordially invite you to continue accompanying us on this journey with a critical, interested, and constructive spirit.
Cologne, 2026
With warm regards
Annette Imhoff & Dominik Schröder
Management of Schokoladenmuseum Köln GmbH
