Kerry Kennedy to Join Youth in Rally to Demand That Hershey ‘Raise the Bar’
With World Day Against Child Labor right around the corner, students, social justice leaders including Kerry Kennedy, and groups will rally in front of the Hershey Store in Times Square on June 8, 2011 to call on Hershey to eliminate forced, trafficked and child labor from its cocoa supply chain.
Despite almost ten years of commitments from Hershey and other major chocolate companies to take responsibility for their cocoa supply chains and eliminate child labor, significant problems persist. Abusive child labor, trafficking, and forced labor continue to plague the West African cocoa industry. The farmers in this region, which supplies the majority of the world’s cocoa, live in poverty, while major chocolate corporations continue to amass large profits.
Hershey lags behind its competitors when it comes to taking responsibility for the communities from which it sources cocoa. Hershey has no policies in place to purchase cocoa that has been produced without the use of labor exploitation, and the company has consistently refused to provide public information about its cocoa sources.
Will you join us in calling on Hershey to do more to stop child labor, forced labor, and trafficking in its cocoa supply chain and to start sourcing Fair Trade Certified cocoa?
When: June 8 2011, 10:30am – 12:30pm Where: In front of the Hershey Store in Times Square (1593 Broadway; Northwest corner of Broadway and 48th Street, Manhattan)
Who will be there:
The Raise the Bar, Hershey campaign members (Global Exchange, Green America and the International Labor Rights Forum)
Kerry Kennedy, President, Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights
Lee Cutler – Secretary Treasurer of New York State United Teachers Union
Marie Hogan – 11 year old Global Exchange Sweet Smarts SF chapter leader, along with local NYC-based students
Social justice, Fair Trade, labor rights, and faith based organization
Together, we can speak up for children in West Africa and demand that Hershey and the rest of the cocoa industry commit to Fair Trade Certified cocoa.
Have you heard about Raise the Bar Hershey Campaign’s upcoming rally in NYC’s Times Square happening on Wednesday June 8th?
The purpose of this rally is clear; to encourage Hershey to go Fair Trade.
You are invited to join us at this rally in front of the Hershey Store and ask Hershey to make the switch to Fair Trade.
EVENT DETAILS
When: June 8 2011, 10:30am – 12:30pm Where: In front of the Hershey Store in Times Square
1593 Broadway (Northwest corner of Broadway and 48th Street, Manhattan)
Who will be there: We are reaching out to local NYC social justice groups, students, schools and faith groups that care about this issue. Raise the Bar Hershey Campaign groups (Green America, Global Exchange, International Labor Rights Forum) and our other allies will be there as well.
To download the event flyerclick here. (Great for printing out and sharing with others; 2 fliers per page)
Here’s your roundup of Fair Trade news and updates:
Fair Trade Models from Human Rights Awards Gala 2010
FAIR TRADE MODELS TO APPEAR AT UPCOMING HUMAN RIGHTS AWARDS GALA
Global Exchange’s ninth annual Human Rights Awards Gala is happening next week (June 1st) at the historic Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco. Since 2001, the Human Rights Awards Gala has brought together activists, supporters, and friends to recognize the efforts of exceptional individuals and organizations working for human rights around the world. Find out who we are honoring this year by visiting www.humanrightsaward.org.
There will be many Fair Trade aspects to the evening, including:
Fair Trade models: A bunch of us gals will be sporting Fair Trade outfits courtesy of Global Exchange Fair Trade Stores; dresses, scarves, jewelry and other accessories, and we (yes, we, I’m going for it!) will top our outfits off with a sash that reads “Ask Me About My Outfit”, an ice-breaking statement to encourage conversation amongst guests about Fair Trade.
Fair Trade ice-cream! Ben & Jerry’s Co-founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield will emcee the event, and word has it they’ll be sporting tuxedos. Sweet! Yours truly will be helping to dish out Fair Trade Certified Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to all who attend, following an organic dinner of deliciousness.
Silent Auction featuring Fair Trade gifts: Gourmet treats, handcrafted baskets & glassware and a whole lot more will be offered up for auction, all to benefit our human rights work.
If you’re in the Bay Area: We sure hope you come out next week to enjoy this exciting event! To purchase tickets: Order online here General event info: Visit www.humanrightsaward.org
If you’re not in the Bay Area: It would be great if you would help spread the word about the Human Rights Awards gala to your friends and family. If you’re to ready spread the word, here are 3 easy ways to help:
1. Share and Retweet this post using the buttons to the right;
2. Send this Tweet out: Human Rights Awards Gala honors #pablosolon #javiersicilia Hosted by Ben & Jerry! Grab tix soon: http://ow.ly/512jQ #sf #sanfrancisco;
3. Post this link to your Facebook Wall: www.humanrightsaward.org.
Thanks!
HERSHEY RALLY IN NEW YORK CITY 6/8
Have you heard about Raise the Bar Hershey Campaign’s upcoming rally in NYC’s Times Square, Wednesday June 8th at 10:30 AM? Come join us in front of the Hershey Store and ask Hershey to make the switch to Fair Trade.
Who will be there: We are reaching out to local NYC social justice groups, students, schools and faith groups that care about this issue. Raise the Bar Hershey Campaign groups (Green America, Global Exchange, International Labor Rights Forum) and our other allies will be there as well.
Global Exchange Fair Trade Campaign Director Adrienne Fitch Frankel making a Fair Trade s'more
WE WANT MORE FROM OUR S’MORES IS BACK!
Are you ready for some summer fun? We Want More from our S’mores is back, to help you kick off your summer in a fun, Fair Trade fashion. After all, what says summer more than s’mores? It’s a classic, essential summer treat.
Please help the Raise the Bar Hershey Campaign reach the goal of making at least 1,500 Fair Trade s’mores.
Your delicious s’mores will help raise awareness and hold Hershey accountable for failing to eliminate child and forced labor from its supply chain and encourage the company to achieve Fair Trade certification.
How to participate Plan your s’more event: Savor the chocolatey, gooey pleasure of Fair Trade s’mores anytime from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day weekend. Include Fair Trade s’mores in your barbeques and campfires this summer. Or plan a We Want More from Our S’mores event with friends, family, coworkers, or the neighborhood. Check out these videos to see how much fun you’ll have. Let the s’mores be counted! Count the s’mores you eat and register them online. During your s’mores gathering, collect signatures on petitions asking Hershey to step up and become Fair Trade Certified. Screen the Dark Side of Chocolate. Before or after you make your tasty Fair Trade s’mores, show this film to educate others about child labor in the cocoa fields and explain why it is so important to choose Fair Trade Certified chocolate.
More info about We Want More From our S’Mores Campaign:Visit our website
Fair Trade Federation's new Executive Director Renee Bowers Photo Credit: FTF
SHOUT OUT AND CONGRATS TO FAIR TRADE FEDERATION
Thanks Mary from the Fair Trade Federation (FTF) for spreading the word about our Fair Trade blog in the Spring Edition of Networks, FTF’s quarterly newsletter.
Published quarterly, Networks is the official newsletter of the Fair Trade Federation, the trade association that strengthens and promotes North America organizations fully committed to Fair Trade. You can sign up for this newsletter here.
Also, congratulations goes out to Renee Bowers, the Fair Trade Federation’s new Executive Director!
The Raise the Bar Hershey Campaign brand jamming contest entries are in, and wait till you see them.
Professional looking graphics mixed with creative messaging result in some wonderful mock ads depicting the truth behind Hershey; that this company is contributing to instead of helping to alleviate child slavery rampant in the cocoa industry.
The mock Hershey ads, slogans and videos call on Hershey to eliminate child and forced labor from its cocoa supply chain, and shift sourcing to Fair Trade.
Vote for Your Fave: For 1 week only campaign coordinators Green America, International Labor Rights Forum and Global Exchange invite you to:
1. VOTE for your favorite contest entry finalist;
2. SHARE this post with your friends, family, and coworkers by using the Share and Tweet buttons (located on top right of this post.)
The deadline for voting is Tuesday, April 26th, so please take a few minutes to vote for your favorite, and Share and Tweet this post to help spread the word.
The winner of each category will receive a Fair Trade chocolate gift basket, and the overall winner will receive a $1000 grand prize. Winners will be announced on Thursday, April 28th, which just also happens to be the day of Hershey’s annual shareholder meeting:)
Thanks to everyone who has participated in this Hershey’s Brand Jamming contest thus far, either by spreading the word or submitting an entry, and good luck contestants!
In September, Hershey’s issued their first-ever Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report, yet failed to mention any real solutions to issues of forced and child labor that persist in its supply chain. As a response, Global Exchange and ally organizations, Green America, International Labor Rights Forum, and Oasis USA issued an alternative report CSR report encouraging Hershey to increase its transparency in its cocoa supply.
At the Green Festival in San Francisco this past weekend, Global Exchange and Green America issued the Hershey’s Challenge in order to gather as many petition signatures on the Hershey’s: Raise the Bar campaign. We hoped to target the over 40,000 people in attendance and we’re looking to you to help surpass that goal as we begin to tally up the signatures.
Take action with us as we target Hershey’s CEO, David West and encourage him to Raise the Bar on his chocolate company. Mr. West received a compensation package of over $8million in 2009, while cocoa farmers in West Africa harvesting for Hershey’s were struggling to make ends meet and often employing abusive child labor on their farms. So, join us by signing the Raise the Bar petition and let Hershey’s know that consumers are demanding that they begin sourcing Fair Trade Certified cocoa.
Want to get inspired? These 6th grade students in Joi Chimera’s class in New York are already taking action as you can see in their Raise the Bar drawings asking Hershey’s to take child labor out of the chocolate equation.
So join these students who are speaking up for children in West Africa and demand Hershey’s and the rest of the cocoa industry commit to Fair Trade Certified cocoa.
A special thanks to Anne Kelly at the New York Labor-Religion Coalition for sending over these photos and the amazing work she and the NY Labor-Religion Coalition has done for the Raise the Bar campaign and the Fair Trade movement. Also thanks to Ms. Chimera’s class for getting involved and producing these amazing drawings.
This year, we are happy to share that this year, tens of thousands of kids and adults will hand out Reverse Trick-or-Treating kits to 100,000 households in 49 states and the District of Columbia in the US and all over Canada this year! Yes! If you didn’t order an RTT kit this year, you can still get involved by passing out Reverse Trick-or-Treating and Raise the Hershey bar fliers.
Other ways to get involved with Halloween this weekend:
Make an ad on Reese’s website raising awareness about forced and child labor in Hershey’s cocoa, and send it to all your friends. If you make the ad by Monday, November 1 and CC it to fairtrade@greenamerica.org, Green America will send the best ads to Hershey.
According to his Facebook page, Stephen Colbert’s “March to Keep Fear Alive” is sponsored by Reese’s (owned by Hershey)! For children in West Africa, Hershey’s/Reese’s are indeed keeping fear alive…the childrens’ fear of being trafficked into forced labor in the cocoa fields that grow cocoa for chocolate bars sold in the US. There is a lot of buzz nationwide about this march, on Halloween eve…join the Raise the Bar Campaign in helping use that buzz to hold Hershey accountable. If you have a Facebook account, leave a message on the wall of Stephen Colbert, the Colbert Report, and the March to Keep Fear Alive, as well as the Daily Show, raising awareness of the connection between Reese’s and child labor. If you use Twitter, here are some suggested tweets:
@StephenAtHome the only thing scarier the #march4fear is the use of #ChildLabor in the production of #Reeses
@StephenAtHome #Reeses does have something to hide and it is scarier than peanuts: #ChildLabor
@ColbertReport #Reeses may contain dairy, peanuts and #ChildLabor.
Hershey lags behind its competitors when it comes to taking responsibility for the communities from which it sources cocoa. Hershey has no policies in place to purchase cocoa that has been produced without the use of labor exploitation, and the company has consistently refused to provide public information about its cocoa sources.
