Is Hershey's Secret Ingredient Child Slavery?

categories: Human Trafficking in Africa, International Human Trafficking and Migration, Labor Trafficking and Trade, Trafficking in Children

Published June 23, 2009 @ 08:24AM PT

What do you think is the secret ingredient of a Hershey bar? Sugar, milk, or cocoa? What about the slave labor of thousands of children? Across Western Africa, and especially in the Ivory Coast, children are held in slavery and exploitative labor situations. And it's all in the name of chocolate produced by the world's leading corporations.

Children enslaved and abused in the cocoa industry are made to work excruciatingly long days, and are often beaten if they try and leave or refuse to work. Many have been forced to pick cocoa with open wounds, or covered in their own excrement. The cocoa farms of the Ivory Coast where some of the worst cases of child slavery and labor exploitation have been found are also the world's largest supplier of cocoa, making up 40% of the global market. The Hershey Company, on their website, specifically mentions sourcing cocoa from the Ivory Coast and Western Africa.

Right now, there is something you and the Hershey Company can do to help ensure that child slavery isn't the secret ingredient in a Hershey Bar. Ask Hershey to end child slavery and go fair trade. The best way to end child slavery in the chocolate industry is for major chocolate companies like Hershey to buy Fair Trade Certified cocoa. Other large chocolate companies like Cadbury and Mars have recently made a commitment to ending child slavery in Africa by buying Fair Trade. However, Hershey has not agreed to any third-party certification programs for their cocoa supply. In fact, Hershey since owns the license to produce Cadbury products in the US, Hershey could become a global leader in Fair Trade cocoa sourcing. But the Hershey Company needs to know that we want an end to child slavery in our chocolate! We want our cocoa to be to be Fair Trade certified!

Please, take five minutes to tell Hershey how important it is for them to help end child slavery in Africa by calling them today at 1-800-468-1714 as part of the International Labor Rights Forum's call-in campaign, or by sending a letter to the Vice President of Marketing and Vice President of Global Sourcing for the Hershey Company here.

Together, we can help end child slavery in cocoa. Because exploitation should never be the secret ingredient.

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Comments (24)

This is absolutely brutal. It needs to change now.

Posted by Bison Hunter on 06/23/2009 @ 09:12AM PT
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Why is this issue not displayed in other types of media? Wouldn't you think this is a very big story?

Posted by Marvin Mirsky on 06/23/2009 @ 09:31AM PT
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I am disgusted with this, and the way children are enslaved. We have it in our power to make a change, post this on facebook, your blog where ever.

I am a very private person, and it was a challenge for me to get on facebook, myspace, but I care enough that I can not sit back and do nothing. If I do I am just as guilty as Hershey's.

Posted by Wanda Perry on 06/23/2009 @ 11:45AM PT
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We need to boycott Hersheys products until they end child Slavery. We are encouraging them to keep up their abusive practice by buying their products.Thanks for an eye opening post.

Posted by Martin Martinez on 06/23/2009 @ 11:58AM PT
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Awesome post, Amanda! Thank you so much for bringing attention to this issue and for all that you do.

For those of you who are interested in taking action on this campaign and similar issues, you can sign up for the International Labor Rights Forum's e-mail list here: http://www.unionvoice.org/laborrights/home.html. It's a great way to stay updated about the latest news and ways to take action.

Thanks again, Amanda!

Posted by Tim Newman on 06/23/2009 @ 12:06PM PT
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Don't buy Hershey's until they go free trade!

Posted by Jeff Parker on 06/23/2009 @ 03:09PM PT
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I don't buy Hershey's. I only buy free and fair trade chocolate at a local health food store.

Posted by robin stelly on 06/24/2009 @ 06:17AM PT
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Just remember that "Fair Trade" is a system that ensures farmers a fair price and strong labor and environmental standards. "Free Trade" is a different concept that characterizes the current state of affairs where farmers and workers are exploited and have little or no bargaining power in relation to corporations and the world market.

Posted by Tim Newman on 06/24/2009 @ 08:11AM PT
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We sell exclusively FAIR TRADE coffees and chocolates in our shop. Please forget Hershey and patronize the companies already committed to 100% fair trade. These guys have been there from the start without consumer complaints to motivate them. They deserve our full support, Divine Chocolate and Omanhene, are just two fine companies which have already done their part to fight slave labor and promote economic self sufficiency in Africa despite corporate villians like Hershey's.

Posted by Robert Thompson on 06/24/2009 @ 08:18AM PT
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I am horrifed and am going cold turkey off Hershey kisses. It's hard to believe such thing happen still. Thanks for educating me.

Posted by Heather Windsor on 06/24/2009 @ 02:54PM PT
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Amanda, you're a legend, like the way people here are thinking too. The personal is political!

Posted by Oceania OZ on 06/24/2009 @ 04:29PM PT
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You're gonna have to ask Hershey's to end bovine slavery, too, because this vegan ain't touchin' any slice of cow chocolate. Milk belongs to baby animals, not drooling adults living in luxury.

Posted by Luella - on 06/24/2009 @ 09:44PM PT
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Amanda would you like to educate members of the Department of Defense on this issue? If yes, please contact me. linda.daniels@osd.pentagon.mil

Posted by Linda Daniels on 06/25/2009 @ 08:17AM PT
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I'm glad I don't like Hershey's...

Posted by Tabita Green on 06/26/2009 @ 12:13PM PT
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Go to the Hershey's website and leave them a message. www.hersheys.com

Posted by Angie Affolter on 06/26/2009 @ 01:36PM PT
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Horrendous! This is something that you'd more expect from the Nestle Corp. which I've been boycotting for years. No more Hershey's chocolate for me unless they change their ways. For a few pennies more, I'll get a much better fair-trade chocolate bar instead.

Posted by R Gomez on 06/26/2009 @ 07:24PM PT
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Even slave labor couldn't provide Hershey's chocolate cheaply enough for WalMart Shoppers... they also recently sent much of their manufacturing to Mexico. But I doubt the company's "savings" go to the consumer.

Posted by Laurie Walker on 06/27/2009 @ 08:22AM PT
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Probably not the place but - I am a UK resident and would like to sign up for this (and other) action, however I cannot.

Any chance of having an international outreach?

Jon

Posted by Jonathan Boud on 06/28/2009 @ 05:51AM PT
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While this is a horrible offense against the ILO convention 182, the world cocoa foundation (which includes hersheys), USAID, USDOL, and the ILO have been working on this issue since 2001. Since Cote de Ivoire heavily relies on the cocoa bean industry to support their economy this is not something that can be fixed over night. The Harkin-Engle protocol has been working on educating and building a responsible environment for cocoa farming for 7-8 years now, and while yes this is still happening, there has been good results. The issue isn't that action isn't being taken to stop, it is that these companies are having difficulties differentiating between the fair trade cocoa beans and those that are not since they are not buying their supplies straight from the farmers. Cote de Ivoire contributes 70% of the worlds cocoa production, and this issue is hitting many companies. This is an issue where an industry needs to be redeveloped instead of a company being boycotted.

Posted by Stephanie Oswald on 06/28/2009 @ 08:31AM PT
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Buy your chocolate from Equal Exchange, Divine Chocolate, or the many other Fair Trade companies. I work at Ten Thousand Villages and we sell both these brands. They have many different kinds of chocolate, and it's all delicious! It's worth the extra money, and you won't miss Hershey's one bit. Support your local fair trade shop for coffee, chocolate, handmade gifts, and much more. If you're not sure where to go, check out FairTradeFederation.org.

Posted by Kate Jamal on 06/29/2009 @ 08:39AM PT
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The corporate media won't cover this. We'll continue to have this abuse until we have a free press.

Posted by stan z on 07/11/2009 @ 08:00PM PT
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Hey this is a great blog. It is such a shame that so many children around the world enjoy a treat produced by the blood of thousands of children the same age. Something has to be done, and we must all remember that we have a vote with every dollar we spend. If we stop economically supporting products that are produced with child slavery the companies will be forced to change their policies. We here at Endangered Species Chocolate practice what we call ethical trade. This means we do more than pay fair market prices and make sure child labor is not used. We are actively involved in improving the living conditions for our cacao farmers. We accomplish this by installing water pumps and filtration systems as well as donating school and medical supplies. These donations have improved countless lives. I, obviously, encourage you to buy Endangered Species Chocolate, however, if you choose not to for any reason please find a fairly/ethically traded chocolate that you will by. The only way to stop companies from exploiting children is refusing to purchase bloody chocolate. As always...Savor Chocolate. Save Our Planet.

Kyle

Endangered Species Chocolate

Posted by Endangered Species Chocolate on 08/06/2009 @ 12:25PM PT
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Why do you claim that Mars has decided to go with Fair Trade, when the article you link to suggests that Mars has not considered this at all. These companies sidestepped activists whose actions would have required them to label their products as slave free. They said they would take action then. They claimed they would end slavery in the cocoa industry in 2008. They lied. They bought time. They continued to exploit human beings when giving up only 1% of their profit would have resulted in fair trade.

Mars makes itself out as doing some great deed that will cost millions just to aim at sustainability by 2020. I am not interested in crying for people who claim they will lose their profits. BOYCOTT M&M Mars. BOYCOTT Cadbury until they actually put their money where their mouth has been. BOYCOTT Hershey. BOYCOTT all their products, not just chocolate.

This is human life we are discussing. NO MORE PROFITS, NONE, NOT ONE MORE DAY'S worth for traders in human suffering. Can you imagine the old time slave owners crowing about their generosity in planning to free slaves in the futire and how much money they were giving up? Is this acceptable to you?

At this moment, if you buy one of their products, you are supporting slavery. YOU are supporting slavery.

Don't participate in child slavery. Wait until you see the Fair Trade label on the product BEFORE you buy it.

Thank you.

Posted by tolstoys cat on 08/22/2009 @ 03:06PM PT
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In my previous comment, I neglected to mention that the companies agreed to police themselves and make changes in 2005, to avoid govt interference and being forced to label their chocolate slave-free. They talked their way out of govt interference because none could call their product slave-free. They never did anything but pass their own deadlines and take no actions. They're not heroes now that one, so far, claims a date to become Fair Trade certified.

Posted by tolstoys cat on 08/22/2009 @ 03:16PM PT
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Amanda has been a full-time abolitionist for six years. During that time, she has created reports, documentaries and training materials on human trafficking in the United States and around the world.