On Halloween, Oxfam rates candy companies on gender equity in cocoa
October 31, 2014 | 03:53 PM
Oxfam, the British-based international charity, said today that Mars, Mondelēz International (formerly part of Kraft) and Nestlé have “made some progress” on the promises they made to Oxfam in 2013 to improve gender equality in their cocoa supply chains” but “significant gaps still remain.”
Oxfam based its statements on an independent evaluation published today by Man-Kwun Chan, described by Oxfam as a “gender rights expert.”
The report said that companies operating in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana have taken initial steps to improve how they work with female cocoa farmers and workers, but none of the companies have adequately addressed recommendations made by their own consultants for how to protect women’s rights.
The expert report evaluates “Impact assessments” commissioned by the three companies in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, and subsequent “gender action plans” describing how the companies intend to improve women’s rights in their supply chains in response to these assessments.
In all three cases the companies were found to have “credibly articulated their commitments to addressing the issue, but none has yet enacted adequate changes to their operations to fulfill these promises.”
Monique van Zijl, campaign manager for Oxfam’s Behind the Brands campaign said, “Mars, Mondelēz and Nestlé have improved and deserve real credit for making gender equality a priority.”
“But they still are not doing nearly enough to change how they conduct business to make equality a reality," she said. "If chocolate companies want to retain consumer trust and show that their commitments are real, they will work to close the gaps in their current action plans and impact assessments. True accountability means taking feedback seriously and responding with a stronger approach.”
▪ Oxfam International — Analysis and Recommendations to Mars, Mondelēz, and Nestlé on gender equality in the cocoa sector
▪ Behind the Brands
Oxfam based its statements on an independent evaluation published today by Man-Kwun Chan, described by Oxfam as a “gender rights expert.”
The report said that companies operating in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana have taken initial steps to improve how they work with female cocoa farmers and workers, but none of the companies have adequately addressed recommendations made by their own consultants for how to protect women’s rights.
The expert report evaluates “Impact assessments” commissioned by the three companies in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, and subsequent “gender action plans” describing how the companies intend to improve women’s rights in their supply chains in response to these assessments.
In all three cases the companies were found to have “credibly articulated their commitments to addressing the issue, but none has yet enacted adequate changes to their operations to fulfill these promises.”
Monique van Zijl, campaign manager for Oxfam’s Behind the Brands campaign said, “Mars, Mondelēz and Nestlé have improved and deserve real credit for making gender equality a priority.”
“But they still are not doing nearly enough to change how they conduct business to make equality a reality," she said. "If chocolate companies want to retain consumer trust and show that their commitments are real, they will work to close the gaps in their current action plans and impact assessments. True accountability means taking feedback seriously and responding with a stronger approach.”
▪ Oxfam International — Analysis and Recommendations to Mars, Mondelēz, and Nestlé on gender equality in the cocoa sector
▪ Behind the Brands
