Taking responsibility is a choice!
Did you know that 20% of the global cocoa supply is transhipped in the Amsterdam port?
This week was the International Day against Child Labor, while 200 years of the abolition of slavery in the Netherlands are also being commemorated. On both topics, many politicians and CEOs of companies say that they are completely against all forms of exploitation. Unfortunately, in practice they often do not live up to what they say. Products can still be imported into Europe without any problem, without any requirements being imposed on the conditions under which they were produced.
This also applies to the chocolate industry and the cocoa sector. Did you know that 20% of the global cocoa supply is transhipped in the Amsterdam port? It is the largest cocoa port in the world. A very large part of this cocoa is produced in West Africa. It has been shown that at least 460,000 children and adults work under illegal conditions on these cocoa plantations. This includes children who have to lift baskets that are too heavy on their heads day in and day out, causing deformities in the head, neck and back. But also an estimated 30,000 children who are trafficked into forced labor in foreign communities.
According to Tony's Chocolonely, this is really outdated and companies must finally take their own responsibility to solve these problems structurally.
World Cocoa Conference
In recent days, the global chocolate industry gathered at the RAI in Amsterdam for the World Cocoa Conference (link: www.worldcocoaconference.org). Here, all major cocoa traders and chocolate makers showed what they are doing to make the cocoa sector a bit more sustainable. The latest training methods and actions against child labor received full attention. All these activities seem impressive; However, if you look at the annual turnover in the sector (more than 100 billion dollars), the millions in investments are very disappointing. Furthermore, the results of these actions are disappointing; for example, child labor and slavery in the industry have not decreased in recent years.
If companies, to start with, do not take the minimum step of purchasing much more sustainable cocoa at higher prices, the impact of sustainability initiatives will also remain minimal. For example, in 2012 there was three times as much certified cocoa available to farmers than was purchased by companies, simply because they refused to pay for it.
One of the topics that was discussed a lot was what a fair price should be for cocoa. Of course, Arjen, our chain director, discussed this in a number of panels.
Personal responsibility
The responsibility for a sustainable cocoa sector lies with all players in the industry; with a leading role for the ten major international cocoa traders and chocolate makers who control more than 70% of world trade. As long as they do not dare to discuss their own responsibility and what is really a fair price, a solution to the problems in the chain will remain far away.
On the way to a chain where everyone is happy with the production and eating of chocolate, it is essential to have long-term objectives. A roadmap with measurable impact goals is indispensable. Based on this, companies can then work structurally on all conditions to finally stop child labor and exploitation. From higher prices and higher productivity to investments in farming communities, so that cocoa farmers finally get a good price. This will enable them to build up an income above the poverty line and by farming more professionally and organizing themselves in cooperatives they will be able to negotiate on an equal footing with the buyers of their cocoa. As long as poverty among farmers is not better tackled, slavery and the worst forms of child labor will continue to exist.
