Colombia has ratified the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) and the Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention, 1999 (No. 182). The minimum age for employment is 15 years old in Colombia and there are limitations placed on the employment of children under 18 years old, at which time they can take on hazardous work. Hazardous work in agriculture falls under the “worst forms of child labor”. Violations of child labor laws can be punishable by a fine that is 5,000 times the minimum monthly wage of the employer or for more serious endangerment, a temporary or permanent closure of the establishment may be imposed. Efforts have been made to monitor and regulate Child Labor but resources and training remain inadequately effective.

The Global Slavery Index estimates that over 300,000 individuals are living in modern slavery conditions and ranks 18 out of 167 countries that are monitored. Although Cocoa is not explicitly listed as a commodity produced by forced labor, the FARC (Revolutionary Armed forces of Colombia) and ELN (National Libertarian Army) are reported to have used forced labor for agricultural production. Marginalized citizens are at higher risk of forced labor in the agricultural sector and the Colombian government did not effectively enforce the law in all reported cases.,

Colombia has ratified eight out of eight fundamental conventions with the ILO including the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) and the Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 111). Law established punishments from 13 to 23 years of imprisonment and additional fines for perpetrators of forced labor. It is suggested that penalties are sufficiently stringent. According to the Trafficking in Persons Report from 2016, Colombian ranks as a Tier 1 country where the government meets the minimum standards of the TVPA (Trafficking in Person’s Act).

Agrochemicals typically used in cocoa production in Colombia are classified by the WHO as "Moderately Hazardous," Beta-cyfluthrin is classified as Ib or "Highly Hazardous." Shade grown Cocoa is considered less hazardous and more sustainable as the use of herbicides and pesticides is not as abundantly needed. Cocoa cultivation though is predominantly carried out by hand and numerous injuries can occur from exposure to the elements of production including but not limited to: cutlasses (or machetes), stumps and thorns, back and waist pain, and insect bites or stings.

Colombia has not ratified the Safety and Health in Agriculture Convention, 2001 (No. 184). As of 2011 Colombia has submitted a National Implementation Plan (NIP) for the banning of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) per the Stockholm Convention. National law does not cover informal sector workers in agriculture however, they are protected from workplace termination if one chooses to remove themselves from a dangerous situation regarding their health or safety. The Ministry of Labor however has little training in occupational health and safety issues which may cause subjectivity in a case by case basis and an underreporting of incidents. It is unclear whether the fines for violations are a sufficient deterrent.

Colombia has over 600 protected areas nationally. Of these managed designations, just over 400 fall either directly within or border areas of cocoa production. This includes soil conservation districts, reserves for the Natural Civil Society, Regional National Parks, Integrated Management Regional Districts, and Flora and Fauna Sanctuaries. The Reserva Forestal Protectora Regional La Albania, Parque Natural Regional Del Vinculo, and the Serrania De Los Yariguies, are the in closest proximity to the highest production areas. There are no documented sources that single out cocoa as a detrimental commodity to protected areas however, there is a concern for starting Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) early to be resilient against future soil degradation and erosion.

Colombia ranks as one of the one of our planet’s “megadiverse” countries as it is home to nearly 10% of all biodiversity. It holds the top spot globally for bird and orchid species diversity, and is second in plants and butterflies. Production of Cocoa primarily takes place in the Andean highlands. This area in particular is closely monitored for deforestation and contains 13 WWF Globally Prioritized Ecoregions, about 20 AZE sites, and six RAMSAR wetlands sites.,, Production overlaps with critically threatened ecosystems: the Tropical Andes, home to 5% of all vascular plant species, over 660 distinct amphibian species (450 which are listed as threatened by the IUCN); and the Tumbes-Choco-Magdalena, home to just under 3,000 endemic plant species, which is experiencing a decline in species due to urbanization and deforestation. According to a water footprint assessment of Colombian cocoa production the crop is a low impact driver to ecosystems in which it is grown.

Colombia is one of the ecologically richest countries in aquatic resources as its watersheds are the primary headwaters for the Amazon. There are six globally recognized freshwater ecoregions in which cocoa production occurs: the Amazonas High Andes, the Magdalena – Sinu, the Orinoco High Andes, the Orinoco Piedmont, the Western Amazon Piedmont, and the Orinoco Llanos. These areas carry high ratings for species richness and endemism for amphibians, turtles, and fish.,  A number of agrochemicals are typically used in cocoa production, and while most are classified by the WHO as "Moderately Hazardous," Beta-cyfluthrin is classified as Ib or "Highly Hazardous." Because production occurs at higher elevations, runoff can affect downstream ecosystems.