“NGOs serve a formal notice on Compagnie Fruitière alleging shortcomings in its duty of care obligations for the activities of its Cameroonian subsidiary”, 10 December 2025

Compagnie Fruitière, a Marseille-based group founded in 1938, is now one of Europe's leading banana producers and distributors and the largest producer in Africa. In Cameroon, it operates mainly through the Plantations du Haut-Penja (PHP), based in Njombe-Penja, in the coastal region…

…new investigations report that PHP's activities are alleged to seriously harm human rights, the environment, and the health of workers and residents… Critical wage conditions, unfair dismissals, exposure to highly toxic products without protection, and damage to the environment and surrounding communities are alleged…

The French Corporate Duty of Vigilance law (Loi de Vigilance), adopted in 2017, requires large companies based in France to identify risks and prevent human rights violations resulting from the activities of their subsidiaries, including those abroad. Failure to do so may result in them being held liable.

Faced with a growing number of warnings, Transparency International Cameroon, ActionAid France and Transparency International are, with the support of Intérêt à Agir, calling on Compagnie Fruitière… to implement effective due diligence measures…

Given the endemic corruption in Cameroon, and its impact on fundamental rights, the organisations also request that due diligence obligations are enhanced in line with international best practice, and appropriate anti-corruption measures be integrated into Compagnie Fruitière's due diligence process…

The company has three months to publish a new plan vigilance containing effective measures. Failing this, the decision will be left to the judge, whom the signatory organisations reserve the right to refer to….