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    Case Study-Slavery in The Chocolate Industry: Swati Samant

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    Swati Samant
    The document discusses the issue of slavery in the chocolate industry, specifically regarding cocoa farms in West Africa. It raises several systemic, corporate, individual, and ethical issues. Economically, refusing to do business with countries that rely on slave labor could significantly increase chocolate costs. Politically, other countries also do business with nations where slavery occurs so ceasing trade could damage relationships. Legally, while slavery is banned, laws are not always enforced. The document argues that multiple groups share moral responsibility, including African farmers and governments, American chocolate companies, distributors, and consumers who continue purchasing chocolate that may rely on slave labor.

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    Case Study-Slavery in The Chocolate Industry: Swati Samant

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    Swati Samant
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    The document discusses the issue of slavery in the chocolate industry, specifically regarding cocoa farms in West Africa. It raises several systemic, corporate, individual, and ethical issues. Economically, refusing to do business with countries that rely on slave labor could significantly increase chocolate costs. Politically, other countries also do business with nations where slavery occurs so ceasing trade could damage relationships. Legally, while slavery is banned, laws are not always enforced. The document argues that multiple groups share moral responsibility, including African farmers and governments, American chocolate companies, distributors, and consumers who continue purchasing chocolate that may rely on slave labor.

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    The document discusses the issue of slavery in the chocolate industry, specifically regarding cocoa farms in West Africa. It raises several systemic, corporate, individual, and ethical issues. Economically, refusing to do business with countries that rely on slave labor could significantly increase chocolate costs. Politically, other countries also do business with nations where slavery occurs so ceasing trade could damage relationships. Legally, while slavery is banned, laws are not always enforced. The document argues that multiple groups share moral responsibility, including African farmers and governments, American chocolate companies, distributors, and consumers who continue purchasing chocolate that may rely on slave labor.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    645 views2 pages

    Case Study-Slavery in The Chocolate Industry: Swati Samant

    Uploaded by

    Swati Samant
    The document discusses the issue of slavery in the chocolate industry, specifically regarding cocoa farms in West Africa. It raises several systemic, corporate, individual, and ethical issues. Economically, refusing to do business with countries that rely on slave labor could significantly increase chocolate costs. Politically, other countries also do business with nations where slavery occurs so ceasing trade could damage relationships. Legally, while slavery is banned, laws are not always enforced. The document argues that multiple groups share moral responsibility, including African farmers and governments, American chocolate companies, distributors, and consumers who continue purchasing chocolate that may rely on slave labor.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
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    Swati Samant

    09BS0002511

    Case Study- Slavery in the Chocolate Industry

    What are the systemic, corporate, an individual and ethical issues raised by this case?

    The case Slavery in the Chocolate Industry discusses labor exploitation in the chocolate
    industry. It specifically addresses the cocoa beans grown on farms in West Africa, especially the
    Ivory Coast and Ghana, which make up close to half of the world’s chocolate. The cocoa farmers
    of these nations, however, often rely on slaves to harvest their beans, and in some cases,
    enslavement of young males .

    The systemic ethical issues raised by this case include economical, political, and legal questions.
    Let us first look at the economical repercussions.

     Would it be economically logical not to do any business with these countries?   The answer is
    no, considering close to half of the world’s chocolate is made from the cocoa beans that are
    grown in the Ivory Coast and Ghana. If we were to refuse to do any business with these
    countries or the people associated with these countries, the costs of the products may be un-
    affordable to consumers. As far as political issues, I’m sure we’re not the only country who does
    business with these other countries, and if we stop doing business with the ivory coast and
    Ghana the other countries that also do business with them may stop doing business with us.  
    The last systematic issue raised is legal. Slavery on the farms is in illegal in the Ivory Coast.  
    Whether it is or how well the laws are enforced is for the most part out of our control.  

    In your view, is the kind of slavery discussed in the case absolutely wrong no matter what, or is
    it relatively wrong, i.e., if what happens to live in a society like ours that disapproves of slavery?

    I feel slavery of any kind is wrong whether the society approves or disapproves of it.   However,
    throughout history slavery has been a common practice of most societies across the world.   If
    the young boys in this case had been treated better, for example better working conditions,
    better sleeping conditions, better living conditions, and better treatment in general would this
    article ever have appeared?   Probably not, I think the major moral issue here is the treatment
    of the boys and kidnapping them from different places and making them work rigourously
    against their will. Again kidnapping is violation of law.
    Who shares in the moral responsibility for the slavery occurring in the chocolate industry:
    African farmers? African governments? American chocolate companies? Distributors?
    Consumers like you and I who know about the situation but continue to purchase tainted
    chocolates?

    In conclusion, I believe there are a multitude of people and groups that share the moral
    responsibility for slavery occurring in the chocolate industry. While slavery is most prominent in
    West Africa because they are the leading exporter of cocoa beans, slave labor exists in many of
    the world’s agricultural sectors (Chocolate and slavery: child labor in Cote dIvoire, 2002).
    Through the various trade relations, many people are inevitably implicated in this problem,
    whether it is the Ivory Coast Government, the farmers, the chocolate manufacturers, or
    consumers who both knowingly and unknowingly buy chocolate (Chocolate and slavery: child
    labor in Cote dIvoire,2002). Many groups are responsible for the depredations against these
    children, but without question, the people most able to end their sufferings are chocolate
    manufacturers and government officials. As you will learn, however, the chocolate industry in
    general has done little to eliminate the slavery in its supply chain, and, indeed, has played a
    central role in creating and perpetuating it. The politicians, meanwhile, are all talk and no walk.
    Unfortunately, it seems that the industry will continue its evil ways, and lawmakers will
    continue to let them, so long as there is no public outcry against them. This is one way to tell
    them, “No more!” Another way is by not buying their tainted products. Sadly, most businesses
    only understand one thing – profit – and chocolate makers are no exception. Encourage the
    small, but burgeoning, market in chocolate that’s exploitation-free, while hitting the slavery-
    exploiting companies where it hurts – in their pocketbooks.

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