Here is my response to Hershey's form letter:

To Chairman Lenny and Hershey's Management Team,

This response letter is entirely unacceptable. Not only were none of the issues I raised in my letter addressed, but the form response letter I was sent must not have been read or updated in months. You stated, in your letter sent on August 19, 2005:

"the industry has made great progress on this challenging task and expects to meet the July 1, 2005 deadline."

As it is over a month after the deadline, I already know that you entirely failed to meet this deadline. In fact, I state my disappointment and anger about this issue in the second sentence of my email. I include my original email below, and hope that you will take the time to read it. In this email, I describe how the certification system of the Harkin-Engel protocol is an insufficient solution to the problem.

In addition, I object to your downplaying of the abusive child labor problem in West Africa. You cite the IITA survey as your evidence. Here is an excerpt from he ILO document "Hazardous Child Labour in Agriculture: Cocoa" from March, 2004, which cites only the IITA survey:

284,000 children used machetes to clear fields;
153,000 children applied pesticides without protective equipment;
Other children picked cocoa pods and sliced them open to remove the cocoa beans;
64% of children on cocoa farms were under the age of 14 and 40% of child labourers in cocoa farming were girls.

Many child labourers came from impoverished countries like Burkina Faso, Mali and Togo. Parents often sold their children in the belief they would find work and send earnings home. However, once removed from their families, the boys were forced to work in slave-like conditions. In the Ivory Coast alone, nearly 12,000 of child labourers had no relatives in the area, suggesting they were trafficked as slaves.

Children often worked for more than 12 hours per day, beginning at 06:00 and were beaten regularly. Child labourers were less likely than other children to attend school: in the Ivory Coast, for example, one-third of school-aged children living in cocoa-producing households had never attended school and only 34% of children working on cocoa farms attended school, compared with 64% of those not working on cocoa farms.

[This document was downloaded from http://www.ilo.org/public/english/standard...s/fs_cocoa_0304.pdf]

The efforts described on the World Cocoa Foundation website (which is also out of date) are also insufficient. By emphasizing public education on labor standards, you are placing the blame on farmers instead of admitting your own guilt in keeping prices low. These programs essentially serve to preserve the environment for your self-interest, or are charity efforts of limited reach and without guaranteed results.

Finally, I re-emphasize that you must take responsibility for your part in the abusive child labor problem. Your company and the chocolate industry have set the cocoa price so that farmers in West Africa can scrape by only if they make their children work the fields instead of going to school, or resort to slavery. In this way, you are personally responsible for the hardships these children and farmers endure. You are stealing the futures of children in poor countries to slightly increase your profit margin.

To make progress, you must address the root of the abusive child labor problem: the low, unstable cocoa price. I am convinced that the most effective solution is that adopted by fair trade organizations:

Fair Trade helps family farmers in developing countries to gain direct access to international markets, as well as to develop the business capacity necessary to compete in the global marketplace. By learning how to market their own harvests, Fair Trade farmers are able to bootstrap their own businesses and receive a fair price for their products. This leads to higher family living standards, thriving communities and more sustainable farming practices. Fair Trade empowers farming families to take care of themselves - without developing dependency on foreign aid.

-- http://www.transfairusa.org/content/about/overview.php

Only by buying fair trade chocolate and adopting fair trade policies will you win back outraged consumers like me.

Here is the response letter I received from Hershey's:

Thank you for sharing your concerns about cocoa farming practices in West Africa. The Hershey Company is committed to responsible cocoa growing and is playing an active leadership role in driving meaningful change for the millions of families that depend upon this important export crop.

As you are probably aware, West Africa is the world's leading source of cocoa, producing 70 percent of the world's supply. This cocoa is grown on over 1.5 million small family farms, many located in remote areas.

Establishing a clear picture of working practices on such a large number of farms is extremely difficult. Hershey and other industry members funded a landmark independent survey conducted in 2002 by the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture in cooperation with the International Labor Organization of the United Nations (ILO). The survey found that the vast majority of farmers in the region grow cocoa responsibly. No instances of slavery or forced labor were found on the more than 4,500 farms surveyed. The survey did identify several areas where change is needed, including improving access to education and safety issues involving machete use and pesticide application.

Hershey and its industry partners have moved beyond the survey to address issues affecting farm families. We, along with other industry members, are party to the "Protocol" agreement developed in partnership with Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY). Along with a number of other steps, the Protocol calls for the development of standards of certification to ensure that cocoa is grown responsibly. With support from the ILO, the industry has made great progress on this challenging task and expects to meet the July 1, 2005 deadline.

Equally important, Hershey actively supports programs that are making a meaningful, sustainable difference in the lives of cocoa farming families. These programs help increase incomes, promote responsible labor practices and provide vocational education and community-building opportunities. The World Cocoa Foundation coordinates these efforts on behalf of our industry, and I encourage you to visit {http://www.worldcocoafoundation.org} for more information.






This is a long-term effort, and Hershey remains committed to improving the lives of the millions of people who depend on cocoa growing for a living and to assuring consumers that the cocoa they enjoy has been grown responsibly.

Once again, thank you for sharing your concerns.


Best regards,
The Hershey Company
Consumer Relations

To President Guyton and the World Cocoa Foundation,

I was greatly dismayed to learn about the child labor abuse and slavery tainting most chocolate products. I was further dismayed and angered by the chocolate industry's failure to eliminate the slavery as it pledged to do in the Harkin-Engel Protocol. Subsequent statements by your representatives give me little reason to believe that your company is serious about cleaning up its act.

While many parts of your website relate the WCF's awareness of the poverty and child labor issues afflicting cocoa farmers in West Africa, I feel that your policies do not sufficiently address these problems. In my opinion, installing monitoring procedures and telling farmers the international labor standards will not fix the problem. It is necessary that the chocolate industry pay a fair price for its cocoa. Cocoa farmers should be able to feed their families and send their children to school. They should be able to develop their towns and help their counties move from third-world to first-world. The chocolate industry only get away with paying these low prices because farmers in countries like Côte d'Ivoire have no bargaining power. The chocolate industry is exploiting the fact that West Africa is extremely poor and farmers have no choice but to take what you offer them.

The WCF has set the cocoa price so that cocoa farmers in West Africa can scrape by only if they make their children (and in some cases kidnapped child-slaves!), work the fields instead of going to school. In this way, you are personally responsible for the hardships these children and farmers endure. You are stealing the futures of children in poor countries to slightly increase your profit margin.

In addition, I cannot buy the argument that there is nothing more the WCF can do to help the problem. The premium price paid for fair trade cocoa is less than 10% higher than the world market price. In addition, only a tiny fraction of cocoa grown on fair trade certified co-ops is purchased at the fair trade price.

I commend the efforts you describe in the "WCF Progams" section of your webpage, and would appreciate more information on them. It is concerning, however, that this part of the website is severely out of date. I hope you have not discontinued work on these projects!

Given the current situation, I will not be able to buy products sold by any companies using slave-tainted chocolate. I will also spread the word to my friends, family, and the online community about the child labor abuse sponsored by WCF members. Perhaps if you do not care about your moral responsibility to fix this problem, you will care about the profits you will lose from those of us who cannot "stomach" abusive child labor and slavery in our chocolate.

Sincerely,
Kristin Branson

To President Bragg and the Chocolate Manufacturers Association,

I was greatly dismayed to learn about the child labor abuse and slavery tainting most chocolate products. I was further dismayed and angered by the chocolate industry's failure to eliminate the slavery as it pledged to do in the Harkin-Engel Protocol. It is also frustrating that your webpage still does not mention that you did not meet the July 1, 2005 protocol deadline, but instead still assures us that the protocol deadline will be met.

While many parts of your website relate the CMA's awareness of the poverty and child labor issues afflicting cocoa farmers in West Africa, I feel that your policies do not sufficiently address these problems. In my opinion, installing monitoring procedures and telling farmers the international labor standards will not fix the problem. It is necessary that the chocolate industry pay a fair price for its cocoa. Cocoa farmers should be able to feed their families and send their children to school. They should be able to develop their towns and help their counties move from third-world to first-world. The chocolate industry only get away with paying these low prices because farmers in countries like Côte d'Ivoire have no bargaining power. The chocolate industry is exploiting the fact that West Africa is extremely poor and farmers have no choice but to take what you offer them.

The CMA has set the cocoa price so that cocoa farmers in West Africa can scrape by only if they make their children (and in some cases kidnapped child-slaves!), work the fields instead of going to school. In this way, you are personally responsible for the hardships these children and farmers endure. You are stealing the futures of children in poor countries to slightly increase your profit margin.

In addition, I cannot buy the argument that there is nothing more the CMA can do to help the problem. The premium price paid for fair trade cocoa is less than 10% higher than the world market price. In addition, only a tiny fraction of cocoa grown on fair trade certified co-ops is purchased at the fair trade price.

I commend the efforts you describe at

http://responsiblecocoa.org/helping

and would appreciate more information on them. However, given the current situation, I will not be able to buy products sold by any companies using slave-tainted chocolate. I will also spread the word to my friends, family, and the online community about the child labor abuse sponsored by CMA members. Perhaps if you do not care about your moral responsibility to fix this problem, you will care about the profits you will lose from those of us who cannot "stomach" abusive child labor and slavery in our chocolate.

Sincerely,
Kristin Branson

To President Michaels and the M&M/Mars Management Team,

I was greatly dismayed to learn about the child labor abuse and slavery tainting your chocolate products. I was further dismayed and angered by the chocolate industry's failure to eliminate the slavery as it pledged to do in the Harkin-Engel Protocol. While your webpage:

http://www.mars.com/Policies/Mars_Policy_o...e_Cocoa_Farming.asp

relates M&M/Mars's awareness of and commitment to the child labor problem, I do not think your current policies go far enough. In my opinion, the problem is not just a lack of monitoring procedures, nor just a lack of understanding by farmers of international labor standards. In addition, I do not think it is "reasonable and acceptable for children to work safely with their parents on small, family-run farms." Certainly, it is reasonable for them to help out part-time to learn the trade, but most children of cocoa farmers are not able to attend school.

The problem is that the current price M&M/Mars pays for cocoa is unfairly low. Cocoa farmers should be able to feed their families and send their children to school. They should be able to develop their towns and help their counties move from third-world to first-world. M&M/Mars and other chocolate companies only get away with paying these low prices because farmers in countries like Côte d'Ivoire have no bargaining power. The chocolate industry is exploiting the fact that West Africa is extremely poor and farmers have no choice but to take what you offer them.

Your company and the chocolate industry have set the cocoa price so that cocoa farmers in West Africa can scrape by only if they make their children (and in some cases kidnapped child-slaves!), work the fields instead of going to school. In this way, you, the directors of M&M/Mars, are personally responsible for the hardships these children and farmers endure. You are stealing the futures of children in poor countries to slightly increase your profit margin.

In addition, I cannot buy the argument that there is nothing more M&M/Mars can do to help the problem. The premium price paid for fair trade cocoa is less than 10% higher than the world market price. In addition, only a tiny fraction of cocoa grown on fair trade certified co-ops is purchased at the fair trade price.

If M&M/Mars would make some effort to support fair trade chocolate, I would gladly buy your product. Of the major chocolate companies I have researched, M&M/Mars is the only one to discuss the child labor problem on their website. In addition, I commend your work with Winrock International, the Sustainable Tree Crops Program, and the other independent efforts you have made, and would appreciate more information on them.

However, given the current situation, I will not be able to purchase any M&M/Mars products, and will also spread the word to my friends, family, and the online community about the child labor abuse sponsored by M&M/Mars. Perhaps if you do not care about your moral responsibility as a huge, global corporation, you will care about the profits you will lose from those of us who cannot "stomach" child labor and slavery in our chocolate.

Sincerely,
Kristin Branson

To Chairman Lenny and Hershey's Management Team,

I was greatly dismayed to learn about the child labor abuse and slavery tainting your chocolate products. I was further dismayed and angered by the chocolate industry's failure to eliminate the slavery as it pledged to do in the Harkin-Engel Protocol. Subsequent statements by your representatives give me little reason to believe that your company is serious about cleaning up its act.

In my opinion, the problem is not just a lack of monitoring procedures, which you have failed to set up. The problem is that the current price your company pays for cocoa is unfairly low. Cocoa farmers should be able to feed their families and send their children to school. They should be able to develop their towns and help their counties move from third-world to first-world. Hershey's and other chocolate companies only get away with paying these low prices because farmers in countries like Côte d'Ivoire have no bargaining power. The chocolate industry is exploiting the fact that West Africa is extremely poor and farmers have no choice but to take what you offer them.

Your company and the chocolate industry have set the cocoa price so that cocoa farmers in West Africa can scrape by only if they make their children (and in some cases kidnapped child-slaves!), work the fields instead of going to school. In this way, you, the directors of Hershey's, are personally responsible for the hardships these children and farmers endure. You are stealing the futures of children in poor countries to slightly increase your profit margin.

In addition, I cannot buy the argument that there is nothing Hershey's can do to help the problem. The premium price paid for fair trade cocoa is less than 10% higher than the world market price. In addition, only a tiny fraction of cocoa grown on fair trade certified co-ops is purchased at the fair trade price.

If Hershey's would make some effort to support fair trade chocolate, I would gladly buy your product. I believe that Hershey's is most qualified to take the lead on this issue because of your unique history of social responsibility and generosity. However, given the current situation, I will not be able to purchase any Hershey's products, and will also spread the word to my friends, family, and the online community about the child labor abuse sponsored by Hershey's. Perhaps if you do not care about your moral responsibility as a huge, global corporation, you will care about the profits you will lose from those of us who cannot "stomach" child labor and slavery in our chocolate.

Sincerely,
Kristin Branson

Edited by author 08-18-2005 03:10 PM
To the Nestlé Management,

I was greatly dismayed to learn about the abusive child labor and slavery tainting your chocolate products. I was further dismayed and angered by the chocolate industry's failure to eliminate the slavery as it pledged to do in the Harkin-Engel Protocol. Subsequent statements by your representatives give me little reason to believe that your company is serious about cleaning up its act.

In my opinion, the problem is not even just a lack of monitoring procedures, which you have failed to set up. The problem is that the current price your company pays for cocoa is unfairly low. Cocoa farmers should be able to feed their families and send their children to school. They should be able to develop their towns and help their countries move from third-world to first-world. Nestlé and other chocolate companies only get away with paying these low prices because farmers in countries like Côte d'Ivoire have no bargaining power. The chocolate industry is exploiting the fact that West Africa is extremely poor and farmers have no choice but to take what you offer them. It is not, as you state on your website, that "free trade is fair."

Your company and the chocolate industry have set the cocoa price so that cocoa farmers in West Africa can scrape by only if they make their children (and in some cases kidnapped child-slaves!) work the fields instead of going to school. In this way, you, the directors of Nestlé, are personally responsible for the hardships these children and farmers endure. You are stealing the futures of children in poor countries to slightly increase your profit margin.

In addition, I cannot buy the argument that there is nothing Nestlé can do to help the problem. The premium price paid for fair trade cocoa is currently less than 10% higher than the world market price. In addition, only a tiny fraction of cocoa grown on fair trade certified co-ops is purchased at the fair trade price, so Nestlé could easily buy some fair trade cocoa.

If Nestlé would make some effort to support fair trade chocolate, I would gladly buy Nestlé products. However, given the current situation, I will not be able to purchase your chocolates, and will also spread the word to my friends, family, and the online community about the child labor abuse sponsored by Nestlé. Perhaps if you do not care about your moral responsibility as a huge, global corporation, you will care about the profits you will lose from those of us who cannot "stomach" child labor and slavery in our chocolate.

Sincerely,
Kristin Branson