Date of publication: November 2, 2009
Source: Worldwatch Institute
Author: Ben Block
By Ben Block
..."One of the concerns we've seen is that some of the activities children are involved in are inappropriate to their age: carrying heavy loads, using machetes on farms," said Bill Guyton, president of the World Cocoa Foundation [1], a developer of several industry-supported training sessions in cocoa-growing regions of Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Americas. "Through farmer field schools, we explain to parents why activities are dangerous to young people."
Cadbury's [2] aligned this year with Fair Trade for its chocolate products in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.
"These certifications are a major step forward because finally most of these companies recognize the need to take responsibility for labor standards in the cocoa supply chain. It itself is a victory," said Tim Newman, campaign director at the International Labor Rights Forum [3]. "The next step is to provide consumers with information about what these programs actually mean.... Some standards are stronger than others in enforcing worker rights."...