#2 – The Argument for Ethical Consumption
In the first post of this series, we looked at the most common counter-argument to ethical living – that it’s too expensive. The more aware you become of Certified products, the more you realise that Certification is not restricted to luxury items. There are, however, further cries of protest that can be made… so let’s … Read more
#1 – The Argument for Ethical Consumption
Recession-hit, saddled with student debt and no hope in hell of a job, the last thing on the mind of a young graduate such as myself might be spending a bit extra to help an unknown, unseen cocoa farmer… But does it actually cost more? If you’ve come across STOP THE TRAFFIK before you … Read more
Mondelēz announces $400m investment in sustainable cocoa
STOP THE TRAFFIK welcomes yesterday’s announcement from Mondelēz that they will be investing $400 million over ten years to help people in cocoa farming communities. This has the potential to change the lives of children being exploited, and to prevent children being trafficked onto cocoa plantations in the Ivory Coast in future. Whilst welcoming such … Read more
Ferrero’s commitment- Traffik free by 2020
STOP THE TRAFFIK welcomes Ferrero’s statement of April 12th, where the chocolate company clearly and unequivocally states that they will eliminate all cases of the trafficking children, forced adult labour and other worst forms of child labour from their cocoa supply chain by 2020. In doing so, Ferrero is the first global chocolate company to … Read more
CNN’s Freedom Project- Chocolate’s Child Slaves.
CNN’s Chocolate’s Child Slaves debuts tonight at 8pm as part of their Freedom Project. They are dedicated to continuing to expose trafficking in the chocolate industry. We have been working with them on this, and Antonie from STOP THE TRAFFIK is speaking on the panel as part of the live section of the show so watch it! … Read more
BBC investigates child trafficking in Ivory Coast
The BBC has been in the Ivory Coast investigating the state of child trafficking on cocoa farms there. Humphrey Hawksley, friend of STOP THE TRAFFIK, reminds us that every day that passes, young boys are still being trafficked, far from home, and that our chocolate is still not TRAFFIK FREE. This is urgent. So on … Read more
Traffik-free chocolate where you live
Today is World Day Against Child Labour, sponsored by the International Labour Organization. For a couple of years now activists around the world have been campaigning hard to get the chocolate companies to get on board with using cocoa in their products that isn’t grown and picked using trafficked child labour. From sending postcards, letters, … Read more
Confused by the price of chocolate
Today dear readers, I am a little confused. For the last few months, we have been following news coming form the Ivory Coast very closely and something occurred to me over the weekend. When countries supplying the world with oil are a touch turbulent (e.g. Iraq / Libya ….) oil prices soar. Over a … Read more
Chocolatey Friday treat!
In response to our hunt for an Easter campaign slogan, one of our activist sent us a great story she wrote and it was just to good to keep to ourselves! It was After Eight on CaramacDonald’s Farm and The Little Red Hen was making Easter Eggs, but she was getting tired of doing all the work. She called a … Read more
The Nestlé slogan hunt is on!
Our Valentine’s Day campaign asking Nestle to ‘Have a Heart’ was a great success thanks to your help! Now, Mr. Cocoa Bean is hunting for a short campaign slogan to demand Nestlé hops on board this Easter to give us traffik-free chocolate! The winning slogan will be revealed on Mr. Cocoa Bean’s placard when we launch our Nestlé Easter Campaign in a couple of … Read more
mmmmMars bars in Australia!
Last week (Monday 28th February 2011) MARS in Australia announced their lovely MARS bars in Australia will carry the Rainforest Alliance logo as of June 2011. This followed a campaign where STOP THE TRAFFIK Australia sent 30,000 postcards to supporters who then urged MARS to roll out a product that uses cocoa certified as ‘traffik … Read more
‘Have a Heart Nestlé’ Twitter Awards
In the run up to Valentine’s day, people from all over the world used love poems and Valentine’s messages on Twitter to tell Nestlé to ‘Have A Heart’ and put an end to trafficked labour in their supply chains. We thought we’d give some public recognition to the literary genius of STOP THE TRAFFIK supporters … Read more
It’s time to raise the bar Nestlé!
Dearest loveliest blog readers! I write with exciting news…… well exciting for us, annoying for Nestlé As I am sure you’re aware, over the last few years we have been working together to pressurize the chocolate industry into making ethical and traffik free choices. The industry has responded and we now have more traffik free … Read more
Exploitation of labor rights in Chocolate production is ongoing
The worst forms of child labor, forced labor and trafficking of children have not been eradicated yet, on the contrary, a newly released study gives real evidence about the widespread practices and the ineffectiveness of the industry’s efforts. Nine years ago, a voluntary agreement called the Harkin-Engel Protocol was signed by the cocoa and chocolate … Read more
Cocoa Journalists in the Ivory Coast locked up
The latest news coming out of the Ivory Coast suggests its not just victims trafficked into chocolate production whose freedom is at stake. Even the reporters trying to highlight things in the cocoa industry those in power would rather keep hidden, are having their freedom taken away. Since journalists are particularly important in providing public … Read more
PRICE OF FREEDOM- Giving a Helping hand to Traffickers?
Looking through some old postcards, I came across some I had bought at the Nelson Mandela Touch Gallery when I visited Sydney, Australia. There’s someone who has truly touched the world! You’re probably wandering what this could possibly have to do with human trafficking? You may have a point! But I want to share this … Read more
Chocolate-The Bitter Truth
If you live in the UK, tune in to Panorama: Chocolate-The Bitter Truth on BBC One tomorrow (Wednesday 24th March) at 9pm . The reporter goes undercover as a cocoa trader to discover the trafficking and slave labour that go into the chocolate we eat. Find out how you can campaign for Traffik-Free chocolate here.
Krafty or what?
This month Cadbury, after 186 years of producing chocolate and selling it around the world, was finally bought out by Kraft, the world’s second largest food maker. For Brits it felt a bit like selling the Queen. The more important issue though, is what is going to happen to Dairy Milk, which so recently went … Read more
Happy Christmas Nestle ….. ho ho ho, ha!
This Christmas, people around the world will be feasting on scrumptious chocolate made up of luxurious ingredients like exploitation, abuse and violence. Doesn’t seem right, does it? Together we have started to change the chocolate loving world….. Cadbury have started giving us traffik free Dairy Milk, Mars have made promises, Swiss Noir and Verkade are on … Read more
