Mars Inc, candy giant, employs child labor for cocoa harvesting
OAN’s Elizabeth Volberding
11:40 PM – Thursday, November 30, 2023
Children as young as 5-years-old in Ghana have been discovered using machetes almost as large as they are in order to harvest the cocoa beans needed for some of America’s most popular chocolate bars and candy.
On Wednesday, an unnamed whistleblower from the company released a slew of insider information, which described how Mars, the American chocolate giant that supplies popular treats like M&Ms and Snickers, broke a pledge it made stating that it would discontinue the use of child labor in small subsistence farms in Africa.
A CBS News crew traveled to Ghana’s remote cocoa belt to find small subsistence farms that manufacture Mars’ candy products.
As a result, the crew discovered children, some as young as 5-years-old, working at the farms, even though the company had previously committed to have procedures put in place to “eliminate child labor in its supply chain.”
According to the crew, one child almost lost his fingers while slicing open the cocoa pods.
A 15-year-old girl named Munira told reporters that she had been working in the Ghana cocoa fields since she was 5-years-old, saying that her family “could not afford the cost of sending her to a school, which is an hour-long walk away.”
“I feel sad. I want to be, like, a medical doctor,” Munira told the press. “But my family doesn’t have money for school.”
Field operators at the cocoa farms who work for Mars, inc., claimed to reporters that they consistently create lists that list names of children who are “supposed to be kept away from the cocoa plantations” and enrolled in school.
Mars had previously promised that it would make sure that the children are attending school, however, field supervisors said that the candy company “never bothered” to confirm if this was actually the case.
When reporters asked Mars representatives about the use of child labor to manufacture their candy products, one spokesperson stated that “Mars unequivocally condemns the use of child labor,” and that it has “no place in our supply chain, and we are fully committed to helping to eradicate it.”
“CBS did not provide specific details of their investigation to Mars ahead of time in order for us to investigate the claims of misconduct at the time of this report,” the company spokesperson said. “Mars treats any claim of misconduct in our supply chain very seriously and pledges to thoroughly investigate once we have the necessary information and take appropriate action.”
Additionally, Mars posted a press statement regarding its cocoa manufacturers in Africa and the company’s agreements with child labor laws.
“Our cocoa manufacturers in Africa have agreed to adhere to our robust Supplier Code of Conduct and we have also been clear that they must have a Child Labor and Remediation System (CLMRS) in place by 2025 that complies with the industry-leading International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) standard,” the company said.
“To be clear, we condemn the use of child labor,” the company added. “We will continue to work diligently with parties across the cocoa sector to further help advance respect for human rights in the cocoa supply chain.”
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
After two House Democrats introduce a privileged motion to expel embattled representative George Santos. House Speaker Mike Johnson expresses reservations about the push.
A Louisiana District Court and the 5th Circuit Court Of Appeals have banned the Federal Government from working with social media companies to censor speech.
with Ed Martin
with Dr. Jeff Barke
More advertisers are likely to flee Elon Musk’s social media platform X after the billionaire lashed out at some of the biggest names in the media industry.
We asked ChatGPT, OpenAI’s viral chatbot, how it felt on its first birthday.
4:05 PM UTC – November 29, 2023 LONDON (Reuters) – Google DeepMind has used artificial intelligence (AI) to predict the structure of…
November 29, 2023 – 10:58 AM UTC BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s Bitcoin Group (ADE.DE) said on Wednesday it was taking measures to…
rnrn
What steps is Mars taking to investigate the allegations and prevent the use of child labor in its supply chain in the future
Mars Candy Accused of Using Child Labor in Cocoa Farms
Published on: November 30, 2023
In a shocking revelation, an unnamed whistleblower from Mars, the American chocolate giant, has exposed the company’s alleged use of child labor in cocoa farms in Ghana. The information came to light on Wednesday, raising serious concerns about the company’s commitment to eliminating child labor from its supply chain.
According to the whistleblower’s claims, Mars, the supplier of popular treats like M&Ms and Snickers, had previously pledged to discontinue the use of child labor in small subsistence farms in Africa. However, an investigative crew from CBS News visited Ghana’s remote cocoa belt and found children as young as 5 years old working on the farms, despite Mars’ commitment to address this issue.
The crew discovered distressing instances of child labor, including a child who almost lost his fingers while slicing open cocoa pods. Munira, a 15-year-old girl, revealed that she had been working in the cocoa fields since she was 5 years old because her family couldn’t afford to send her to school, which was an hour away.
Field operators at the cocoa farms, who are employed by Mars, claimed that they kept lists of children who were supposed to be kept away from the plantations and enrolled in school. However, according to these operators, Mars never followed up to ensure the children were attending school.
When questioned about the allegations, a Mars spokesperson stated that the company unequivocally condemns the use of child labor and is fully committed to eradicating it from its supply chain. However, the spokesperson also mentioned that CBS did not provide specific details of their investigation ahead of time for Mars to investigate the claims.
In response to the exposé, Mars released a press statement reaffirming its commitment to ethical practices and compliance with child labor laws. The company stated that its cocoa manufacturers in Africa have agreed to adhere to their Supplier Code of Conduct and will implement a Child Labor and Remediation System by 2025 following the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) standard.
Child labor in the cocoa industry remains a persistent issue, with numerous companies facing accusations of exploiting children for profit. The allegations against Mars once again highlight the need for increased transparency, accountability, and enforcement of strict labor standards to protect vulnerable children worldwide.
It is now up to Mars to thoroughly investigate the claims made by the whistleblower and take appropriate action if these allegations are proven to be true. Only by holding companies accountable can we ensure that ethical practices are followed and the rights of children are protected in every aspect of global supply chains.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Now loading...