One of the most popular sweets in the world is chocolate. Many people are ignorant of the dark side of chocolate manufacture, though. With an estimated 2 million kids working in cocoa fields in just West Africa, child labor is rife in the cocoa sector. What chocolate does not use child labor, then?
Fortunately, several chocolate manufacturers are making efforts to resolve this problem. These businesses purchase their cocoa beans from plantations that don’t employ child labor. They also invest in community development initiatives and pay farmers fairly.
Tony’s Chocolately is one such business. The goal of this Dutch chocolate firm is to produce chocolate that is 100% free of slavery. To make sure that their beans are not produced using child labor or contemporary slavery, they directly collaborate with cocoa growers in Ghana and the Ivory Coast. To make life better for cocoa farmers and their families, they pay a premium price for their beans and make investments in community development initiatives.
Divine Chocolate is another business that is working to produce chocolate in an ethical manner. Ghanaian cocoa farmers are co-owners of this UK-based business, giving them a stake in the company’s success and a vote in how it is operated. Additionally, Divine Chocolate purchases its cocoa beans from plantations that don’t employ children and give farmers fair prices for their produce.
Sadly, the majority of chocolate sold today uses cocoa beans that were grown with child labor. The greatest cocoa producer in the world, Ivory Coast, produces 43% of its cocoa beans using child labor, according to a report by the US Department of Labor. Additionally, the study discovered that 21% of the cocoa beans from Ghana were made with child labor.
By choosing to purchase chocolate from businesses dedicated to ethical manufacturing methods, customers can change the world. On chocolate packaging, look for certifications like Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, and UTZ. The cocoa beans used to manufacture the chocolate were sourced from farms that adhere to particular social and environmental criteria, according to these certificates.
In conclusion, even if the bulk of chocolate is made from beans grown with child labor, certain businesses are dedicated to utilizing ethical production methods. Customers may support these businesses and encourage just and sustainable agricultural methods by buying chocolate from producers that have earned certificates for their ethical production. This will help put an end to child labor in the cocoa industry.