Tis the season to eat chocolate….Easter is nearly upon us and like in most Western countries, this time of year in the UK it’s all about chocolate. We’ve spent two exhausting but wonderful weekends working at the Brighton and London Chocolate Festivals making and sharing chocolate and were visited by hundreds of people. Everyone was full of the joys of chocolate and it was lovely to see so many chocolaty smiles. It was also heartening to speak to so many people as well, who had just watched the BBC’s Panorama programme (http://bit.ly/dif3h6) about the chocolate trade in West Africa and who were concerned about the endemic slavery that still exists in cocoa plantations.

This is a topic that has been very close to my heart as my dissertation and research for my Masters degree was on trafficking of women and young girls to the UK and the effects of current legislation on modern slavery. So having some knowledge of human trafficking, it was clear to me when I set up CHOC Chick that all our ingredients would be ethically sourced and the first questions I would ask of any supplier were about the welfare and conditions of plantation workers. We have a very close relationship with the importers of our raw cacao ingredients, who share the same values as us and work closely with cooperatives in Ecuador and Peru. They are passionate about environmental and ethical practices in agriculture and it is clear that when these go hand in hand, both the welfare of people and our planet are protected. Our importers work directly with the cooperatives to ensure organic farming methods are used and all employees are paid and treated fairly. I myself met last September with one of the cooperative members and hope to go out to Ecuador very soon for a proper visit.

I feel very privileged to live in such an open and liberal society in the UK, where there are many people who genuinely care about the working conditions of others.  There is a lot still to be done to eradicate slavery in all forms around the world, but by being aware that modern slavery still exists and asking questions before making purchases, we can start making a difference.

Here is an incredibly moving and inspiring talk by Kevin Bales about the business of modern slavery which I hope you will take the time to listen to as well. TED Blog: How to combat modern slavery: Kevin Bales on TED.com

Amor y chocolate,

CHOC Chick x

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