754: Miki Mistrati | The Dark Side of the Chocolate Industry

Child Labor

The chocolate industry is plagued by a child labor crisis, with children trafficked and forced to work on cocoa plantations. Miki Mistrati highlights the alarming reality of missing children in villages, where traffickers lure them away without parental knowledge 1. These children, often from different countries, are sold for as little as 230 euros and work without pay, receiving only food 2. Miki questions why, in a wealthy world, such modern slavery persists, especially involving children, who are the future of society.

The world's chocolate companies depend on cocoa produced with the aid of more than one million West African child laborers.

--- Miki Mistrati

This systemic issue is exacerbated by the economic power of major chocolate companies, which prioritize profits over ethical practices.

   

Corporate Corruption

Corporate corruption in the chocolate industry allows child labor to persist, with companies like Nestle and Cargill denying responsibility. Jordan Harbinger notes that these companies claim ignorance in court, despite public promises to address the issue 3. Miki reveals that after his exposés, companies invested heavily in marketing to improve their image, yet failed to deliver on promises like building schools 4. This greenwashing tactic is cheaper than implementing real change, allowing companies to maintain profits while avoiding accountability.

They claim that we are doing a lot for fighting against child labor. We are building schools and stuff like that.

--- Miki Mistrati

The lack of transparency and genuine effort to eradicate child labor highlights the deep-rooted corruption within the industry.

   

Supply Chain

Tracing ethical practices in the chocolate supply chain is fraught with challenges, as audits are infrequent and often ineffective. Miki Mistrati describes how companies like Source Trust fail to trace cocoa back to farms reliably, exposing the inadequacy of current systems 5. The sporadic nature of farm inspections allows for easy evasion of child labor laws, with thousands of small farms going unchecked 6. Miki suggests choosing chocolate from South America, where child labor issues are less prevalent, as a more ethical consumer choice.

Even the so-called sustainable sourced cocoa is the same kind of sh*t, to be honest.

--- Miki Mistrati

This lack of effective oversight perpetuates unethical practices, making it difficult for consumers to ensure their chocolate is ethically sourced.