Sugar, nuts vanilla, children's work: This article explores the topic in depth.
Consequently,
Sugar. Therefore, nuts vanilla, children's work:
Within the chocolate industry, the cocoa sector is the most scrutinized with regard to the fight against child labor. Therefore, Except that other ingredients such as sugar, nuts or vanilla also prove to be at high risk, recalls Swi Swissinfo.ch.
On June 11, the International Labor Organization (ILO) announced its global estimate In children’s work, which she publishes every four years. Additionally, Therefore, The report prepared with the Association for the Defense of Children’s Rights (UNICEF) reveals that the prevalence of child. In addition, labor has dropped from 160 million children in 2020 to 137.6 million in 2024.
It is in agriculture that there are the largest share of children at work. Meanwhile, up to 61%, and the sub -Saharan African region retains the highest prevalence, with 21%. For example, A figure particularly concerning the chocolate industry, which imports approximately 75% of its Cocoa from West Africa.
This is one of the sectors where the risk of recourse to child labor is the highest. Nevertheless, By analyzing the media coverage between January 2014. January 2024, the Consultants Consultants Sustainallytics identified 612 human rights incidents linked to food supply chains. Among these incidents. 27% were linked to children’s work in cocoa farms that provide major players in the sector, three of which are based in Switzerland: Nestlé, Lindt & Sprüngli and Barry Callebaut.
Companies in the chocolate sector are aware of the risk of cocoa for their reputation. and make investments aimed at reducing it. Nestlé, for example, spends nearly 37 million francs per year since 2012 to weigh its sustainable cocoa. In 2022. Nestlé, which manufactured chocolates Kit Kat and Cailler, announced the tripling of its investment and undertook to pay a total of 1., 3 billion by 2030.
Sugar. nuts vanilla, children's work – Sugar, nuts vanilla, children's work
Other ingredients concerned
“Chocolate producers are deploying considerable efforts to deal with the child’s work problem in cocoa supply chains, and we salute these commitments. Nevertheless. it is essential to emphasize that their supply chains are deployed far beyond sugar, nuts vanilla, children’s work cocoa”, points out Elean Harry, CEO of Hace, consulting firm, based in the United Kingdom.
“We regularly have under the eyes of child labor evidence in the production of other key ingredients. such as sugar cane, nuts, vanilla, and other dairy products that land in chocolate products.”
Swiss chocolate producers are starting to monitor all raw materials to detect the risks of children’s work. For example. Nestlé and Lindt & Sprüngli identified risks when they get most of their hazelnuts in the Black Sea region in Türkiye. The hazelnut harvests taking place during school holidays. sugar, nuts vanilla, children’s work the children of seasonal migrant workers accompany their parents in orchards, which increases the risk they participate in dangerous tasks.
The two companies try to resolve the problem by creating summer lessons. in collaboration with their suppliers, intended for these children. Eleanor Harry would like them to extend this form of surveillance from their suppliers to their entire raw material. supply chain.
“Some chocolate producers have identified the risks and occasionally organize interventions. Nevertheless. the lack of monitoring over time and investment in these ‘hidden’ supply chains is not only for perpetuating the exploitation of children, but also to exhibit these companies with important operational flaws and serious damage on their reputation,” she said.
Chocolate producers are trying to reproduce the standards they apply to the verification of cocoa origins for all the rest of their raw materials.
Lindt & Sprüngli has made a list of 12 priority materials of which it intends to check the source in 2025: cocoa. Turkish hazelnuts, palm oil, raw sugar (cane and beet), vanilla, soy lecithin, eggs (internal production), packaging based on paper, almonds, dairy products, coconut oil and coffee.
Nestlé List 14 Ingredients that she intends to obtain responsiblely by 2030: cereals. seeds, cocoa, coconut, coffee, dairy products, fish and seafood, hazelnuts, meat, poultry and eggs, palm oil, paper paste, soy, spices, sugar and vegetables. In 2024, only 44.5% of these ingredients passed the test successfully.
“In order for supply chains to be truly ethical. durable, it is essential to carry out sugar, nuts vanilla, children’s work a full control of all the ingredients, and not only those who are already examined closely,” concludes Eleanor Harry.
Article original: Anand Chandrasekhar (SWI swissinfo.ch)
Adaptation: Julien Furrer
Sugar, nuts vanilla, children's work
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