Several non-profit organizations are working towards eliminating child labor in the chocolate industry.

They are doing so by the educating the masses and also running campaigns in the business sector. These
organizations are encouraging people to criticize chocolate manufacturing companies over the use of
children as laborers in the cocoa farms of West Africa. Several influential organizations are collaborating
with the government, employers and employees to workout plans to eliminate forced labor on children
in the chocolateindustry. Exploitation of children for work and slavery is being discouraged, legal acts
have also been passed to ensure an end to this child bondage.

Underage children are forced to work in harsh and cruel circumstances in farms in West Africa to extract
cocoa. The community must come together to put and end to these unethical practices. We should be
aware of the brutal circumstances that children have to work under in order for us to savor the
chocolate we get in the market. A lot can be changed by the chocolate manufacturing companies to
improve the conditions in which these children are forced to work, if these chocolate manufacturers
start buying the raw material that is cocoa in an honest and proper way rather than obtaining it in an
immoral manner. Charities and trusts working at on international level are doing their best to eliminate
child labor and hence bring about change in the coca extraction and chocolate manufacturing industry.
This case study focuses on the efforts of these nonprofit organizations in eliminating child slavery in the
chocolate industry and improving the conditions under which laborers are forced to work in the farms in
West Africa. It also provides an outline to the individuals working in the chocolate industry for

practicing moral business practices.

2. Hypothetical structure

Basic business morals and ethics should be followed by every business to flourish. A set standard of
ethical and moral values has been established over the years which allows businesses to practice
ethically, following these guidelines helps businesses triumph. There are several guidelines that can be
followed and several ethical values that a business may choose to follow, this in turn shapes the
business and yields different outcomes. Ethics involve contemplating other problems that may have
multiple solutions, knowing right from wrong and consequently making decisions that can have either of
many different outcomes. The outcome of these decisions directly impacts the business, good decisions
improve businesses and vice versa. While making these important business decisions, the well-being of
all those involved must be kept in mind.

Moral ethics and values are followed by all groups in the society from families to industries, nations and
countries. This set of rules help shape a society and eliminate injustice as well as improve the well being
of concerned individuals. Without any ethical principles to follow not only do industries come crashing
down but also nations fall down.

Business ethics should be followed because they not only apply to how the business is lead but also
how the business deals with its consumers and buyers. It determines the relationship between the
business and the people working in it as well as those purchasing from it. By following basic business
ethics, industries and businesses earn more money and also improve their reputation.
3. Findings

The cocoa industry widely provides for over thousands of families in West Africa and is the main source
of livelihood for many. There are over millions of small farms where under aged children and their
families work in inhumane conditions but are unable to sustain their families and improve their quality
of life. This part of Africa comprises of people who are very poor and hence are forced to work for
minimum wages in these cocoa farms. This extreme poverty has also lead to child slavery and forcing
children kidnapped from neighboring countries to work in these farms for very little or no money and in
quite harsh and severe circumstances.

Big buyers in the cocoa industry determine the price at which cocoa beans are sold. These buyers do not
pay adequately for the cocoa they obtain, hence the farm owners are underpaid and unable to hire
adult laborers. Lack of money, small scale of farms and long-term poverty of these cocoa family farmers
leads to employment of under aged children at the farms. Large companies tend to take undue
advantage of these poor farmers by giving them low price for the cocoa that they extract, this in turn
has long term implications. A whole new generation of West Africa has been forced into child slavery
because of these immoral and unethical business practices. These practices where the business tries to
extract huge profits by minimizing cost has led to an increase in the ratio of children as compared to
adults being employed at these cocoa farms. The entire system is responsible for encouraging these
unethical practices and hence child labor. Thousands of under aged children are forced to work at these
cocoa farms for minimum wages and often they also get injured while working at these farms. Although
most children forced into working in these cocoa farms are natives, there are several who have been
trafficked from neighboring countries and subjected to child slavery. Data shows that more than half of
the children working in these farms were injured in one way or another while working over the past
year.

Entire families often work at these farms but are still unable to provide for and to improve the quality of
life that they have. Most families also force their young children to help them out at the farms where
these children often work without any pay. While some children work as a family unit in these farms
there are several others who work individually and have no relatives in or around the area because they
have been kidnapped from neighboring countries and moved to these parts where they have been sold
to the farm owners and have been forced into slavery. This is a vicious cycle wherein generations are
trapped and entire families are forced to work at the cocoa farms. The absence of proper infrastructure,
schools, hospitals and other facilities in and around the area of these cocoa farms has worsened the
situation. Hence children are unable to improve their circumstances and pursue an education and are
therefore forced into working at the farm with their family members.

Studies have also shown that several children migrated from other cities or neighboring countries to
support their families but have become trapped in this system and forced into child labor. There aren’t
many evidences or proofs that identify child trafficking but it is a widespread practice in this area.
Nonprofit organizations and charities working worldwide are playing a crucial role in eliminating and
curbing child labor being practiced in West Africa in the cocoa extracting industry. These organizations
are also developing and implementing laws and strategizing with the government to improve the care
and facilities being provided to these underage children hence taking steps towards eliminating child
labor. Big buyers, companies and governments are being mobilized to take steps in the right direction to
finish forced slavery on these under aged children. Laws are being developed and educational as well as
public services being provided to children are being improved in order to reduce child labor and give
these children a better future. But the dilemma of developing countries like West Africa is that they
have limited resources and are unable to improve their educational as well as social services for the
younger generation. Hence international support is crucial for Africa and countries of it’s like to improve
the conditions in which it’s newer generations will grow.

But the international community also faces several challenges when trying to help countries such as
Africa to eliminate child labor. These challenges include political issues that are unresolved between
different countries. An example is the Ivory Coast which is under United States Government sanction
after a military coup followed by an unfair election which was considered against the democracy by the
United states.

Social media has also played a key role recently in exposing child trafficking and child slavery in West
Africa cocoa farms. The media has exposed the inhumane practices of child labor in the chocolate
industry and has forced the consumers to question big brands and renowned companies about the
nature of how they acquire their raw material. As a result people demanded large chocolate
manufacturing companies to use their influence and their name to stop child labor and improve the
condition under which farmers and their families live as well as work in these farms. Industrialists have
been pushed by the masses to bring about substantial and widespread significant changes in the
practices being followed in the cocoa farms in Africa. Pressure by the government and the people has
forced chocolate manufacturers to take responsibility for their actions in this chain of events. The
manufacturers have accepted the mistakes on their part and signed up agreements for following ethical
business practices and revising their existing practices.

The cocoa protocol, which is an international agreement that has been drawn to put an end to child
labor and also substantially changed how children were being forced to work as unpaid or underpaid
laborers in the cocoa farms. Several big brands in the chocolate industry signed this protocol after much
debate and controversy in the cocoa extracting industry. Different companies act differently according
to this protocol and have improved their basic business ethics which has lead to an overall improvement
in the immoral practices of child labor that were previously being followed. Large brands and companies
have recognized their duty and stepped up to finish child labor in the chocolate industry. These big
names in the chocolate industry have also contributed financially towards eradicating child labor and
child trafficking practices in West Africa.

The US Labor Department as well as the chocolate industry itself is funding the Coco protocol which is
set to reduce child labor by as low as 70% in the coming years. The two major cocoa producing areas in
West Africa are being developed by these funds by means of establishing new schools and supporting
poor families financially to restrain them from forcing their children into early labor at the cocoa farms.
This will impact how the next generation of Africa surfaces, children will be educated and able to choose
different forms of work for themselves when they are old enough to work. Ghana and Cote Delaware
are the major producers of coca in West Africa and initially the program is targeting these areas for
reducing and eventually eliminating child labor. Establishment of schools is one of the key steps in this
process. Chocolate manufacturing companies have played a critical role in implementation of the Cocoa
protocol and fighting against child labor. But these companies also emphasize on the role of the local
African government in the provision of the best of educational as well as health facilities to these under
aged children. Their basic human rights are also the responsibility of the government, the manufacturers
have highlighted how they can not be held solely accountable for the elimination of child labor and the
local government must also step up and recognize it’s role in this regard. All factors are not under their
control and they cannot monitor or dictate the behavior of the contractors, suppliers and even the local
government.

But the steps being taken by big names in the chocolate manufacturing industry cannot be ignored and
their efforts in reducing child labor have been applauded greatly by the public And international
nonprofit organizations. Apart from the chocolate industry, coffee manufacturers have also been under
scrutiny and fair trade practices are being encouraged in this sector too. Big brand names are following
the fair trade policies to extract their coffee and helping towards reducing child labor. Even though
coffee manufacturers are not providing enough funds as compared to the chocolate manufacturers,
their role is also highly appreciated. Big names in the coffee industry have promised the masses more
transparency in how they receive their raw material.

Many non profit organizations working internationally are doing their best to keep a close eye on the
conditions in which underage children are working in these cocoa farms. Many of the children work in
inhuman conditions on these farms and are subjected to different types of injuries subsequently. These
international organizations are working hard to keep a close eye on the conditions under which children
are forced to work. Several times, the injuries suffered by these children are not just physical but they
are also subjected to mental trauma and affected morally as well as physically. Non profit organizations
work towards forming and implementing laws against child labor to eradicate this system of slavery.
These organizations also tirelessly work to educate the public about the unethical practices of child
labour being followed in the chocolate industry and how the public can play its role in eliminating forced
slavery and child labor in this industry.

Large chocolate manufacturers are also playing their role in reducing child labor in the cocoa extracting
industry in West Africa, although some famous brands still do not follow the fair trade agreement and
do not acknowledge child slavery in West Africa.

Legislations are being passed and Fair Trade Certification labels are being encouraged to completely
eliminate child labor in the chocolate industry. Organizations are encouraging manufacturers to follow
proper protocols and ethical business practices in terms of extracting cocoa in order to finish off the
worst form of child labor and child slavery that is being practiced in West Africa. Ethical cocoa resourcing
movements have been initiated as one of the steps in this regard.

Non profit organizations, traders, cocoa processors and large manufacturers have collaborated to start
the International Cocoa Initiative that aims at finishing off child labor in the chocolate industry once and
for all. Over 60 organizations have collaborated in this regard and are taking steps towards the
elimination of child trafficking and child slavery in the cocoa industry.

International organizations are also pressing chocolate manufacturers that have yet not contributed in
this regard to join in. Legal cases have also been filed in the US court against manufacturers who still
follow unethical practices off child labor to obtain cocoa. Although several organizations have been
established to combat child labor, legislations have been passed, governments have been pressed and
several moves made in the right direction to eliminate child labor but this is an ongoing problem which
needs long term solutions and ongoing revolutionary steps to completely eliminate the practice of child
slavery in the cocoa industry. International organizations, governments and the public need to work
collectively towards the joint goal of eradicating child labor once and for all. This not only involves
establishing and improving social welfare for the people it also includes building of schools, improving
health care and provision of basic human rights to the underpoverished and undereducated people of
West Africa.