Investing in interventions & educational programs to prevent child labor

We can all agree that child labor is a challenge around the globe, within the cocoa industry and beyond, and it is evident that consumers and brands alike are demanding more to be done to prevent child exploitation. And although shareholders have an expectation for growth, the growth must be achieved ethically.

Governments, industries, and global foundations are working with the supply chains to protect children from labor abuse by providing training and education on what to look out for and how to mitigate potential risks. This in addition to the many automated tools available for better transparency across the supply chain has made it possible for us to maintain some level of regulation where historically this has been difficult.

However, there is still more to be done locally through interventions and educational programs to support those affected before they are introduced to child labor and ultimately a life of adult modern slavery. By investing in these rural areas where the root cause of child labor exists such as poverty, lack of education, and rural living conditions, we may be able to prevent the next generation of child workers…