Support Fair Trade Chocolate

You can support fair trade chocolate in many ways, but one easy and tasty way is to buy and eat organic chocolate!

How does organic chocolate support fair trade?

Organic chocolate is mainly produced in locations other than the Ivory Coast which has been recently revealed to have atrocious violations of human rights related specifically to workers in the production of chocolate.

Unfortunately most mainstream chocolate manufacturing companies source their main ingredient for chocolate, the cacao bean from the Ivory Coast where abuse of workers is rampant.

Journalists have discovered that many cacao bean farmers in the Ivory Coast kidnap their workers and keep them captive, with no pay and beatings as punishment if they try to escape.

Some of these workers are young teenagers.

This kind of thing is almost unbelievable to us in most parts of the world.

Need a little more proof?

Watch the videos below featuring reporters interviewing these workers and documenting their working conditions.

Warning - these videos are not pleasant to watch but do show the realities of chocolate manufacture that we all should be aware of.

Chocolate manufacture also often involves child labour. It is estimated that there are hundreds of thousands of children working in the chocolate industry in Africa.

If this concerns you what can you do to help?

Support Fair Trade Chocolate by Buying Organic Chocolate

Organic chocolate is made without the use of pesticides, herbicides or fungicides.

What is Fair Trade Chocolate?

Fair Trade Chocolate is produced using ethical harvest practices. Farmers and producers agree to provide workers with decent working conditions and fair wages.

Most Organic Chocolate Is Also Fair Trade Chocolate

As organic cocoa beans are not currently grown on the Ivory Coast, it is not likely to have been produced by child slave labourers.

Organic Chocolate Companies Support Fair Trade Chocolate

The even better news is that many organic chocolate companies have taken a stand for ethical harvest procedures, sustainable practices and good working conditions.

Cloud Nine helps to organize its producers into cooperatives and guarantees a fair price for cacoa beans and requires its farmers to establish fair wages and good working conditions.

Rapunzel Chocolate has created a program called "Eco-Trade". It enforces strict requirements on working conditions and prices with the objective of supporting developing countries. Guaranteeing fair wages, establishing long term trade relationships, and banning child labor are key aspects of their program.

This organic chocolate manufacturer has even built schools, contributed to the upgrading of orphanages and promoted organic farming as a way of life in many of the countries it does business in!

The Endangered Species Chocolate Company is committed to support Fair Trade chocolate agreements with its suppliers. The company proactively supports small farms and natural methods which better ensure the preservation of land, the environment and contribute to the well being of the workers and their families.

Dagoba Organic Chocolate Company is helping to change the face of farming communities in developing nations. Dagoba encourages "slow harvest" methods rather than clear cutting of rain forests and pays premium prices thereby ensuring communities have enough money to build schools and infrastructure.

What You Can Do To Help Support Fair Trade in the Chocolate Industry

1) Be prepared to pay a little more for Fair Trade items and produce. Be aware that cheap items often carry a hidden cost - often borne by the environment or by people in poor countries.

2) Buy Organic Fair Trade Chocolate from companies that support fair trade chocolate..

3) Ask shops in your area to order in Fair Trade Chocolate. The more demand for a product the more stores will want to carry it.

4) Help publicize the issue. Consider selling Fair Trade Chocolate at your next school or minor sports fundraising event and include some basic information about why fair trade is so important.

5) Contact the major chocolate companies, and ask them to buy only Fair Trade cocoa to produce their chocolate from.

Support Fair Trade by Buying Fair Trade!

You can buy Fair Trade chocolate and many other fair trade items online at http://store.globalexchange.org/chocolate.html

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