What is slavery-free chocolate?

It’s chocolate that is free from exploitative labour practices. Presently children as young as 12 years old are picking cocoa in West Africa to make the chocolate we eat. Some of these children are trafficked. Most are forced to pick cocoa from an early age, for minimal or no wages, for long hours, in dangerous working conditions, without any chance of attending school. The International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) estimates there are 500,000 – 1,500,000 children working in the cocoa sector in West Africa.

A global movement has begun to change this. The movement tackles poverty and empowers producers through trade. When you choose your chocolate look for a label that shows the cocoa has been sourced ethically. That means it doesn’t come from the sweat and tears of children, trafficked or in forced labour.

Look for these certification labels:

What can you do?

• BUY slavery-free chocolate—look for the certification label
• TALK to others about slavery-free chocolate
• When you have a chocolate fundraiser, use slavery-free fundraiser packs
• If you have an Easter raffle, make sure it contains slavery-free chocolate
• Ask Coles & Woolworths to commit to double the number of certified products for Easter 2021. Supermarkets will place their 2021 Easter orders soon!

Be a good egg this Easter!