Hershey is the largest maker of chocolate in the United States, and gets their supply from … The goal of Food Empowerment Project (F.E.P.) “Chocolate and Child Slavery: Say No to Human Trafficking this Holiday Season.” Huffington Post. “Franco-Canadian journalist killed by first lady’s security guards, says French TV.”, Voice of America. “FLO Reponse to: ‘Chocolate: The Bitter Truth.’”. that people can download to help them with their purchases. Child Labor and Slavery in the Chocolate Industry Chocolate is a product of the [28] While it remains possible that some Latin American farms may employ these practices, it is not widely documented as it is in Western Africa. This list, which includes more than 700 companies, is updated monthly. most recent research on companies that make vegan products containing chocolate to find out if they source their chocolate from areas where the worst forms of child labor and/or slavery are the most prevalent. Although chocolate can be void of animal products, it cannot be truly cruelty-free if it involves the worst forms of child labor, including slavery. Child slavery on cocoa farms is a difficult issue to fully address because the most serious abuses take place across the world; however, that does not mean our responsibility is reduced, since chocolate is a luxury and not a necessity like fruits and vegetables. In a shocking 2000 documentary titled Slavery: A Global Investigation, the group reported on the chocolate industry’s alleged connection to cocoa harvested by child slaves. One of the core values of F.E.P. When they tried, they were severely beaten.”[21] Drissa, a recently freed slave who had never even tasted chocolate, experienced similar circumstances. In 2004, the Ivorian First Lady’s entourage allegedly kidnapped and killed a journalist reporting on government corruption in its profitable cocoa industry. Most of the children laboring on cocoa farms are between the ages of 12 and 16,[15] but reporters have found children as young as 5. “‘When People Eat Chocolate, They Are Eating My Flesh’: Slavery and the Dark Side of Chocolate.”, International Labour Organization. [9] As the chocolate industry has grown over the years, so has the demand for cheap cocoa. [7] The farms of Western Africa supply cocoa to international giants such as Hershey’s, Mars, and Nestlé—revealing the industry’s direct connection to the worst forms of child labor, human trafficking, and slavery. “Convention 182.”, PR Newswire. Cases often involve acts of physical violence, such as being whipped for working slowly or trying to escape. Child Labor and Slavery in the Chocolate Industry; Factory Farm Workers; Importing Slavery; Produce Workers; Restaurant Workers; Slaughterhouse Workers; Slavery in the US; Transparency in the Chocolate Industry; Workers in the Fishing Industry; Our Food Choices. [18] Tropical regions such as Ghana and the Ivory Coast consistently deal with prolific insect populations and choose to spray the pods with large amounts of industrial chemicals. Two West African countries, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, supply 75% of the world's cocoa market. “Ivory Coast Arrests 3 Journalists over Cocoa Story.”, Sackett, Marjie. [1] The cacao bean is more commonly referred to as cocoa, so that is the term that will be used throughout this article. Systemic issues in business ethics are ethical questions raised about the economic, political, legal, and other institutions within which business operate. Child Labor and Slavery in the Chocolate Industry Chocolate is a product of the cacao bean, which grows primarily in the tropical climates of Western Africa, Asia, and Latin America. © 2021 Food Empowerment Project | Food Empowerment Project is a registered non-profit, 501(c)(3) and all donations are tax deductible. September 25, 2012. In 2001, after prolific reports of child labor in the chocolate industry, the US House of Representatives voted to consider a labelling system to assure consumers that slave labour was not used in the production of their chocolate, requiring chocolate companies to show that they were “child labour free” and label their products this way. 2012. is working to inform consumers around the globe about the worst forms of child labor, including slavery, that take place for chocolate. March 31, 2011. On average, cocoa farmers earn less than $2 per day, an income below the poverty line. Although we have not targeted a corporation since 2011, we do hope to in the future. The government of the Ivory Coast blames the foreign countries which supply the slaves, and who also run many of the Cocoa Plantations. Despite years of promises by the chocolate industry, child labor remains widespread on cocoa farms. [l] The cocoa they grow and harvest is sold to … [8] Other children are “sold” to traffickers or farm owners by their own relatives, who are unaware of the dangerous work environment and the lack of any provisions for an education. October 6, 2010. Mars, Nestlé and Hershey to face child slavery lawsuit in US This article is more than 2 months old Chocolate companies are among the defendants named in … On cocoa farms, 10% of child laborers in Ghana and 40% in the Ivory Coast do not attend school,[2] which violates the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Child Labour Standards. [20] In some cases, the children sleep on wooden planks in small windowless buildings with no access to clean water or sanitary bathrooms.[21]. “2012 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor.”, Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International. Forced labour, child labour, human trafficking and slavery are common. Food Empowerment Project (F.E.P.) The list is available on our website along with free downloadable apps for the iPhone and Android. December 2016. [16] [19], In addition to the hazards of using machetes, children are also exposed to agricultural chemicals on cocoa farms in Western Africa. July 16, 2010. “Cocoa Market Update.”, Payson Center for International Development and Technology Transfer. Read and talk about them here. Global Finance. 1999. In addition, we have free apps (Android and Apple) that people can download to help them with their purchases. is to raise awareness about how our food choices can change the world. Many large American chocolate companies knowingly purchase these tainted cocoa beans, also in order to keep costs low. We encourage healthy food choices that reflect a more compassionate society by spotlighting the abuse of animals on farms, the depletion of natural resources, unfair working conditions for produce workers, and the unavailability of healthy foods in low-income areas. Chocolate is a symbol of sweetness and innocence, but Western chocolate consumers know there is nothing sweet and nothing innocent about slavery. “Forced Child Labor and Cocoa Production in West Africa.”. The chocolate industry is also being called upon to develop and financially support programs to rescue and rehabilitate children who have been sold to cocoa farms. Chocolate is a product of the cacao bean, which grows primarily in the tropical climates of Western Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The cacao bean is more commonly referred to as cocoa, so that is the term we will use throughout. [10] As a result, they often resort to the use of child labor to keep their prices competitive.[11]. Of course not all slavery-free chocolate brands are on these lists… ask around and see if you can find a small company you can trust. This is where the majority of organic cocoa originates. With one goal in mind, the brand’s mission is to show the industry it is possible to make a chocolate bar that is ‘slave-free’ and in the process it has become the market leader in the Netherlands. “2012 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor: Ghana.”, Harkin, Tom, and Engel, Eliot L. February 14, 2005. Multiple government and NGO programs have been developed, attempting to address the root causes of “the worst forms of child labor” and slavery in West Africa. Supreme Court weighs child-slavery case against Nestlé USA, Cargill. Chocolate is perhaps the most beloved confectionery ingredient in the world, and few people would say they honestly dislike it. We encourage healthy food choices that reflect a more compassionate society by spotlighting the abuse of animals on farms, the depletion of natural resources, unfair working conditions for produce workers, and the unavailability of healthy foods in low-income areas. [17], The farm owners using child labor usually provide the children with the cheapest food available, such as corn paste and bananas. Price, Larry C. July 10, 2013. [31] This lack of transparency is characteristic of the chocolate industry, which has the resources to address and eliminate child labor but consistently fails to take action. On June 28, 2001, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 291-115 to look into setting up a labeling system so consumers could be assured no slave labor was used in the production of their chocolate. There are many different labels on chocolate bars today, such as various fair trade certifications and the Rainforest Alliance Certification; however, no single label can guarantee that the chocolate was made without the use of exploitive labor. 2001. < FAQ. “Governments Look to End Child Labor in West African Cocoa Farming.”. For chocolate lovers, many are already worrying about the decades ahead. The blame for chocolate's slave labor is passed off from one entity to the next. March 6, 2013. “Child Labor in Ghana Cocoa Production: Focus upon Agricultural Tasks, Ergonomic Exposures, and Associated Injuries and Illnesses.”, Lamb, Christina. Slavery in the Chocolate Industry Chocolate is a product of the cacao bean which grows primarily in the tropical climates of West Africa and Latin America. https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-americas/history-of-chocolate With supply being increasingly unable to meet demand, it is likely chocolate will one day be prohibitively expensive for all but the very rich. “Oversight of Public and Private Initiatives to Eliminate Worst Forms of Child Labor in the Cocoa Sector in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.”, BBC. Chocolate plantations are specifically mentioned because chocolate is such a large industry and many kids, particularly in tropical African countries, are affected by child labor. However, the success of these efforts will depend greatly on the genuine support or lack thereof from the chocolate industry over the coming years. < Food for Thought. [18] Every strike of the machete has the potential to slice a child’s flesh. Conversation with Abby Mills, May 28, 2014. Every month we contact companies to determine where their cacao is sourced. April 22, 2001. F.E.P. July 22, 2009. Two West African countries, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, supply 75% of the world’s cocoa market. encourages people to use their individual choices to eat with their ethics and use their collective voices to help bring about positive change. “Chocolate is a consumer product, which means when it comes to the eradication of child slavery in the industry, we, the consumers, have all of the power,” says Riggs. [3][5] Abby Mills, campaigns director of the International Labor Rights Forum, adds, “Every research study ever conducted in shows that there is human trafficking going on, particularly in the Ivory Coast.”[33] While the term “slavery” has a variety of historical contexts, slavery in the cocoa industry involves the same core human rights violations as other forms of slavery throughout the world. Known as the “food of the gods,” the raw cacao beans have throughout history been harvested at the expense of the poor and underprivileged, whether it was the Aztecs of yesterday or the Ivorian children of today. understands that many consumers care how workers are treated, and, unfortunately, labels don’t provide much information or give a good idea about what transpired while making the product. Bloomberg L.P. March 19, 2014. “Tracing the bitter truth of chocolate and child labour.”, McKenzie, David, and Swails, Brent. Here are a few lists of those companies. The children are often given meager portions of food and tattered clothing, but rarely have a chance to go to school or even to taste the final product of their hard labor: chocolate. The truth is that consumers today have no sure way of knowing if the chocolate they are buying involved the use of slavery or child labor. February 2005. Slavery in the Chocolate Industry: The Ivory Coast in Africa produces much of the world’s cocoa beans, but in order to do so cheaply, thousands of cocoa farms use child slavery. He is a "chocolate slave," one of approximately 2.1 million West African children who engage in the dangerous and taxing work of harvesting cocoa. “How Your Chocolate May be Tainted.”, United States Department of Labor. Ivory Coast produces about 45% of the global supply of cocoa, a core ingredient in chocolate. [45] Child slavery and child labor on chocolate plantations is one of the world’s greatest concerns at the moment. Gregory, Amanda. Mission. [6] In 2010, Ivorian government authorities detained three newspaper journalists after they published an article exposing government corruption in the cocoa sector. Hershey. We strive to do this in our outreach as well as on our website. This Guide The rest of this guide is meant to give chocolate-lovers and slavery-haters some creative ways to end child slavery and make a difference. I had seen others who tried to escape. Chocolate is no different when it comes to the immense amount of abuse that takes place— from child labor to slavery —in areas of Western Africa. This list, which includes more than 700 companies, is updated monthly. In Ghana, children as young as 10 spray the pods with these toxins without wearing protective clothing. [14] Once they have been taken to the cocoa farms, the children may not see their families for years, if ever. Consumers play an essential role in diminishing the food industry’s injustices. One of the core values of F.E.P. A self-imposed deadline by chocolate makers to end child slavery among suppliers has been repeatedly extended, most recently until 2020, according to the lawsuits. Chocolate is made from the highly prized top quality cocoa beans that are grown on farms in West Africa, especially the Ivory Coast and Ghana, which make up close to half of the world’s chocolate. The majority of children have scars on their hands, arms, legs or shoulders from the machetes. “Combating Child Labour in Cocoa Growing.”, International Labour Organization. Hershey, which is the largest chocolate manufacturer in the world, gets most of its cocoa from West Africa. Here's how to ensure your gifts of love are slave-free and sustainable, says Janise Elie. “Hershey Investors Suing Over Child Labor Allowed to Pursue Files.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, originally published in Bloomberg Businessweek. [17] Other children climb the cocoa trees to cut bean pods using a machete. “A Study on the Market for Organic Cocoa.”, Clark, Meagan. Without an education, the children of the cocoa farms have little hope of ever breaking the cycle of poverty. Senator Tom Harkin proposed an addition to an agriculture bill to label qualified chocolate and cocoa products as "slave free". [1] < Facebook Group. F.E.P. has created a list with vegan chocolates that we do and do not recommend based on the sourcing of the cocoa. Many children are sold into slavery by their own parents, who cannot afford to support them. To date, relatively little progress has been made to reduce or eliminate child labor and slavery in the cocoa industry of Western Africa. 2013. “2012 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor: Cote d’Ivoire.”, Mull, L. Diane, and Kirkhorn, Steven R. 2005. We encourage people to “eat with their ethics,” as this has effects on both human and non-human animals. Recently, investigators have discovered children trafficked into Western African cocoa farms and coerced to work without pay. Within their $60-billion industry,[27] chocolate companies have the power to end the use of child labor and slave labor by paying cocoa farmers a living wage for their product. Aside from large-scale production in Western Africa, a significant amount of cocoa is also grown in Latin America. By making informed, ethical food choices, we can make a difference and take a stand against abuses. ... Seduced by chocolate? “One Million Children Labor in Africa’s Goldmines.” PBS. And when you didn’t hurry, you were beaten.”[4], Holding a single large pod in one hand, each child has to strike the pod with a machete and pry it open with the tip of the blade to expose the cocoa beans. March 25, 2012. “Gunther Grant, Inc. Capitalizes On $60 Billion Dollar Chocolate Industry.”, International Cocoa Organization. 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