About Us
Our Mission: Eradicate the use of Worst Forms of Child Labor (ILO 182) and child slavery in the cocoa farms of West Africa by calling and promoting a "No Slavery Here" stamp on all appropriate chocolate sold in the United States.
2015 Statement and Goals
A Call for a "No Slavery Here: Stamp
Modern Day Slavery is a trendy phrase right now as it should be. There are more slaves on the planet now, than there was in the 18th century. Each and every incidence is a story too sad bare. What can be done? When it comes to the horrific world of sex trafficking, we are dealing with an underground criminal force where finding the culprits is very difficult,still many have risen this cause. When it comes to child labor and slavery connected to goods bought in the western world, we know who the beneficiaries are. In the case of chocolate, the culprits have come forth, yet they work effortlessly to to escape accountability and responsibility and to thwart legislation. The largest culprits in the U.S. are: Nestle, Hershey, Archer Daniel Midlands and Cargill. Fourteen years ago they promised to remediation through the Harkin-Engel Protocol. Unfortunately they haven't fulfilled their promises and still 1.8 million children are at risk in West Africa for falling under the Worst Forms of Child labor including slavery (ILO resolution 182). They have been hiding behind the backs of their very talented public relations departments and expensive legal firms to keep their consumers unaware and themselves winning in court. Understandably, keeping profits at a maximum is their job. So there is a discord that has not changed in 14 years. Therefore, it is once again time to go back to the original idea of labeling chocolate “Slave Free” if it in fact it is. Only this will force the industry hold up to their promises of the Harkin Engel Protocol.
In 2001 Eliot Engel, a US. Congressman from the Bronx, read an article in the New York Times stating that our chocolate was tainted with the Worst forms of Child Labor, child slavery and trafficking. A very large Agricultural bill was hitting the congressional floor that next morning and Engel slipped in a provision that chocolate bars will don a “No Slavery Here” stamp. Very similar to the Dolphin Safe stamp you see on tuna cans. In short, the whole bill got passed but the candy companies stepped in before it hit the Senate floor and came up with a compromise to regulate themselves as an attempt to thwart damaging and expensive legislation.
Although the original attempt was quite noble, it was unfortunately it was close to a dismal failure. I'm giving it a “close” as it was about 4% effective. NGO's were built and a plan was made that might have been effective if the candy companies had provided the needed funding. They did not and don't take our word for it. You can see for yourself in the 4th report by the watchdog hired by the Department of Labor, Tulane's Payson Center.
Over the last 14 years, we've seen an increase in awareness. Not just for the cocoa kids, but in other areas of the plight of modern day slavery as well. Awareness is the first step. In regards to cocoa, this organization, Slave Free Chocolate, was the first NGO in the US to devote itself exclusively to the plight of these children. Since then, several more awareness and activist groups have popped up. Some labor groups have done some activist work and we have seen the Fair Trade movement increasingly grow. This is all very positive in theory and necessary but not much has happened to get these children out of confinement and reinserted back to their families and into school where they belong. Children are still be trafficked and sold by the hundreds daily in Ghana and Cote' Ivorie. They are locked in sheds at night, beaten if they try to escape and given no medical treatment when injured.
Recent Law Suits It is often said that the U.S. doesn't change unless someone sues somebody else. So, it is wonderful that 2 law suits are going on and so far the candy companies are on the losing side. In the case of Doe vs. Nestle, Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland, the 9th district court of the U.S, the Doe side won its appeal. The court help up that the candy companies can be sued by the escaped slaves. This is great news but we won't see results from this for a few years. For our organization, it gives our mission credibility as the plaintiffs aren't denying their being part of a slave tainted supply chain. They knew is was happening but claiming that it isn't their fault. Another step in the right direction, the Louisiana State Municipal Employers Pension fund sued Hershey to look at their books. The Hershey company was saying “no” but didn't win. Aside from ethical reasons who want's to own stock in a company that might be running into financial problems when the rubber hits the road.
Why Fair Trade isn't the solution. As I mentioned over the last 14 years we have seen a large increase in awareness of and demand for Fair Trade goods. This is wonderful and Slave Free Chocolate is VERY pro Fair Trade. If all farms were Fair Trade from the beginning, then we wouldn't be in this mess. To date, only about 5% of cocoa comes from a fair trade certified farm. It is much less likely that a fair trade certified farm will be using child slave so Slave Free Chocolate considers Fair Trade Chocolate ethically sourced. Some countries, especially those in Central America have restrictions against co-operatives but there is no slavery going on there anyway. Regardless, getting these children out of servitude, the medical attention that they need and reinserted into their families and back to school is not part of the infrastructure of the Fair Trade system. Remediation is the responsibility of those whom have been profiting from slavery over the last 30 years, the candy companies.
Call for labeling. We have seen too many children grow up (if they make it that far) under the worst forms of Child Labor including trafficked children sold into slavery to wait for Fair Trade to catch up. We need to have a separate label on chocolate bars, that goes back to Engels original intent. If the chocolate company can prove that the worst forms of child labor and slavery are not part of the supply chain, then they can mark it with a “No Slavery Here” stamp. Perhaps this can start off as a volunteer logo for companies that already source ethically and perhaps the rest will follow.
