Evangelina Stephens
Better Bean
When shopping the aisles at the store trying to find that perfect treat to satisfy your sweet tooth, does a product displaying the Fairtrade logo impact your purchase decision? In 1992 the Fairtrade organization was established. This organization was established for the purpose of ensuring that farmers and workers are receiving fair compensation for their product as well as proper living conditions for their community.
This community is very strong among cocoa farming communities. The chocolate industry is a very prosperous industry, yet the prosperity does not make its way down to the farmers and workers, in fact, most farmers solicit children from all over Western Africa to come work on their farms; however, these children are forced to work on these farms with no pay, no schooling, and no access to clean drinking water. When the Fairtrade community began partnering and joining together with farms in Africa, forming co-ops and farming communities, they ensured that all of their partners receive the Fairtrade Promise.
This promise includes, Ensuring no Child Labor and Forced Labor, Fair Payment, Commitment to Non-Discrimination, Gender Equity and Women’s Economic Empowerment, Freedom of Association, Ensuring Good Working Conditions, Creating Opportunities for Economically Disadvantaged Producers, Transparency, and Accountability.
Fairtrade is taking the steps necessary to ensure that the cocoa produced within their community is done so without child slave labor or a violation of their promise. Fairtrade is not just about ensuring peace of mind that the chocolate we consume is done so without the violation of human rights, it’s about making a difference in the lives of those who are far away and giving them opportunities.
Better Bean, is a chocolate company that is dedicated to this community of people who farm cocoa. It is a campaign and brand dedicated to informing the public about the injustice of the industry and encouraging the abandonment of buying non-Fairtrade cocoa. With every purchase we make, we have the ability to make a positive impact on the lives of others. Why not satisfy a sweet tooth and make an impact?
