John Cadbury, a Quaker who campaigned against child labour for sweeping chimneys, would be proud to know that the humble chocolate company he started in 1831 has made its beloved Dairy Milk brand Fairtrade at no extra cost to us chocolate lovers.
The Fairtrade Foundation, the guys behind the label, took Todd Stitzer, the head of Cadbury, to Ghana to meet cocoa producers and to show him the benefits that Fairtrade brings. As well as a guaranteed price, the farmers benefit from the Fairtrade Premium which allows groups and communities to spend on business improvements, cash payments, and social projects such as healthcare and clean drinking water.
His decision means that the amount of Fairtrade cocoa imported from Ghana will triple and that by 2018 the lives of around 500,000 farmers will have changed for the better. That is truly something to give thanks for, pray now and thank God for the change that will come to people’s lives.
Tearfund has been campaigning for trade justice and supporting Fairtrade for many years along with other organisations and individuals and it’s really exciting to see such a big organisation listening to the voices of people who have campaigned and made consistent ethical choices. But this is only the beginning…
Cadbury still has loads of other products which won’t be made with Fairtrade cocoa. People, like you, who are passionate about changing the world have had a huge impact in this giant step and you can make it even bigger by emailing Cadbury now.