By Ben Block
..."One of the concerns we've seen is that some of the activities children are involved in are inappropriate to their age: carrying heavy loads, using machetes on farms," said Bill Guyton, president of the World Cocoa Foundation, a developer of several industry-supported training sessions in cocoa-growing regions of Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Americas. "Through farmer field schools, we explain to parents why activities are dangerous to young people."
Cadbury's aligned this year with Fair Trade for its chocolate products in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.
"These certifications are a major step forward because finally most of these companies recognize the need to take responsibility for labor standards in the cocoa supply chain. It itself is a victory," said Tim Newman, campaign director at the International Labor Rights Forum. "The next step is to provide consumers with information about what these programs actually mean.... Some standards are stronger than others in enforcing worker rights."...