March, 06 2009, 01:17pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Tim Newman, tim.newman@ilrf.org,
202-347-4100 x113 or 617-823-9464
Adrienne Fitch-Frankel, Adrienne@globalexchange.org,
415-255-7296 x315
US Advocates Congratulate Cadbury on Fair Trade Chocolate Announcement
Major US chocolate companies encouraged to follow Cadbury’s lead
SAN FRANCISCO
Global Exchange and the International Labor Rights Forum, two
organizations leading campaign efforts in the US to improve living and working
standards for cocoa farmers around the world, welcome Cadbury's plans to
achieve Fair Trade certification for Cadbury Dairy Milk by the end of summer
2009. Cadbury Dairy Milk is an iconic candy in the UK,
like the Hershey's bar or Mars' M&Ms in the US. Cadbury's announcement
made on March 4, 2009[1]
means that the top selling chocolate bar in England will be Fair Trade
certified and the deal will triple cocoa sales for Fair Trade certified farmer
cooperatives in Ghana.
For
years, Global Exchange and the International Labor Rights Forum
have been calling on major chocolate companies to purchase Fair Trade
certified
cocoa. Child and trafficked labor have been widespread on cocoa farms
in West Africa and Fair Trade certification bans the worst
forms of child labor and forced labor. Additionally, Fair Trade helps
farmers
to improve their incomes, invest in community projects like clinics and
schools
and promotes democratic organization of farmers.
Bama
Athreya,
Executive Director of the International Labor Rights Forum said,
"We congratulate Cadbury on this important announcement. We hope that
Cadbury's increasing commitment to Fair Trade will contribute to better
living and working conditions for cocoa farmers throughout West
Africa. Most importantly, Cadbury can serve as a model to major
US-based chocolate companies. Their leadership demonstrates that committing to
Fair Trade certified cocoa for the mass market is indeed possible."
Adrienne Fitch-Frankel, Fair Trade
Campaign Director at Global Exchange said,
"Cadbury's Fair Trade announcement is an important victory for
cocoa farmers, chocolate lovers, and grassroots Fair Trade advocates in the UK and
around the world. We hope that Cadbury will extend its commitment to Fair
Trade to all of its cocoa products sold in the UK and worldwide. After the
remarkable leadership of 100% Fair Trade certified chocolate companies like
Equal Exchange, Divine, and Alter Eco, Cadbury has proven that embracing Fair
Trade is also both feasible and profitable for the major international
chocolate brands. Cadbury's is the first domino in the domino effect of
major chocolate companies going Fair Trade. The tens of thousands of
grassroots Fair Trade activists we work with, from young children to
grandparents, are eagerly awaiting the day that we will savor our first Fair
Trade certified Hershey's bar, package of M&Ms, or World's
Finest Chocolate bar."
As fair trade and labor advocates around the world celebrate
Cadbury's news, both organizations continue to call on major US chocolate
companies like Nestle, Mars, Hershey's, and World's Finest
Chocolate to follow Cadbury's lead and make a stronger commitment to
ending labor rights abuses in their cocoa supply chains and making it possible
for cocoa farmers to build a brighter future for their families through Fair
Trade.
###
Global Exchange is an international human rights organization
dedicated to promoting social, economic and environmental justice around the
world. For more information, please visit www.GlobalExchange.org.
International Labor
Rights Forum is an
advocacy organization dedicated to achieving just and humane treatment for
workers worldwide. For more information, please visit www.LaborRights.org.
Both organizations are authors and
signatories to the Commitment
to Ethical Cocoa Sourcing, signed by over 60 chocolate companies, nonprofit
organizations, and faith-based groups.
Global Exchange takes a holistic approach to creating change. With 20 years working for international human rights, we realize that in order to advance social, environmental and economic justice we must transform the global economy from profit centered to people centered, from currency to community.
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