By Ben McEachenThursday 28 Mar 2024Hope MorningsEasterReading Time: 2 minutes
Easter eggs can harm others.
Key points
- The Chocolate Scorecard ranks chocolate companies on ethical, environmental and exploitation practices.
- “The latest estimation by the University of Chicago is [there is] 1.56 million children in child labour and slavery,” Fuzz said.
- “It’s good to give new life by buying chocolate from companies trying to give life back to the people who produce the cocoa,” Fuzz said.
Annually, the Chocolate Scorecard ranks chocolate companies on ethical, environmental and exploitation practices.
Details about the production and supply chain of small and big manufacturers of Easter eggs can help us to make informed choices.
Seen by about one billion people last year, this list of good and bad eggs is developed by Be Slavery Free.
Fuzz Kitto is co-director of Be Slavery Free, an Australian coalition campaigning against modern slavery, human trafficking and forced and child labour.
Fuzz told Hope Mornings the key ingredient in chocolate is cocoa.
“The latest estimation by the University of Chicago is [there is] 1.56 million children in child labour and slavery,” Fuzz said.
About 60-70 per cent of the world’s supply of cocoa comes from West African nations such as Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire.
“The latest estimation by the University of Chicago is [there is] 1.56 million children in child labour and slavery,” Fuzz said about cocoa production in Western Africa.
The Chocolate Scorecard covers about 90 per cent of the chocolate industry.
Companies are rated in areas including transparency, living wage, slavery and forced labour, deforestation and chemical usage.
“It’s good to give new life by buying chocolate from companies trying to give life back to the people who produce the cocoa,” Fuzz said.
Dutch company Tony’s Chocolonely and Ritter came out on top, while international names such as Nestlé, Mars Wrigley, Hershey’s and Ferrero were rated as “progressing in policy and practice”.
“People can look at the Chocolate Scorecard and see what is available and who is doing well,” Fuzz said.
“They can make the choice to be an ethical buyer.
“Easter time is a time of celebration and Easter eggs are a symbol of new life.
“So, it’s good to give new life by buying chocolate from companies trying to give life back to the people who produce the cocoa.”
Listen to the full interview with Fuzz Kitto in the player above.
Feature image: Photo by CanvaPro