Ethics is a concept with several definitions, but one common idea appears repeatedly: ethics involves responsibility and fairness. The critical debate surrounding production ethics has grown dramatically since the early 2000s, following a wave of major scandals and fraudulent practices among large corporations. Ethics is therefore a widely discussed topic in large-scale industries. Without ethical practices, trust erodes and negative outcomes such as exploitation and disappointment emerge.
But beyond the fundamental value of fairness and justice, why are ethics crucial in the business world?
Some companies—especially multinational corporations—use “greenwashing”, creating an environmentally friendly and ethical image without truly changing their practices. This allows them to maintain good reputations with consumers while avoiding financial losses. There is increasing pressure from consumers, media, and legislation to adopt more ethical practices, yet many companies still avoid meaningful change. Because these companies are deeply embedded in consumers’ daily lives and ethical alternatives are often more expensive, they can maintain their power and influence. In many cases, corporations can also avoid strict regulations thanks to their economic, social, and political influence.
Ethics is based on the systematic study of moral principles, but business ethics rely on three key elements: respect for the limits of our planet, respect for workers, and political accountability. To explore these issues, two chocolate companies can represent the vast contrast between production models in the chocolate industry. Through this discussion, the major gap between ethical and unethical production will become clear.
Chocolate: Sweetness with a Bitter Reality
Chocolate is often associated with pleasure and luxury, but its production tells a much less sweet story. Behind the familiar products on store shelves lies a world full of contradictions related to globalization and production.
One company that represents the ethical side of chocolate production is Askinosie Chocolate, a small company based in Springfield, Missouri. It was founded by Shawn Askinosie and his daughter, Lawren Askinosie.
Shawn was previously a defense attorney who felt unfulfilled by his work and increasingly threatened by his clients. After leaving his job, he began volunteering at a hospital with patients nearing the end of their lives. Seeing their suffering, but also the love and meaning in their lives, profoundly changed his perspective. He realized that “a full life is full of lost loves.”
With a renewed vision for his life, Shawn did what he jokingly described as “what any man coming out of a mid-life crisis would do”—he started a chocolate company.
Working with his daughter, they built their business around the Bean-to-Bar movement. This production method emphasizes limited production, environmental responsibility, and ethical relationships with cocoa farmers. Bean-to-bar chocolatiers purchase small quantities of cocoa beans and process them entirely themselves—cleaning, roasting, crushing, sieving, and grinding the beans. This approach prioritizes high-quality chocolate, ethical sourcing, and transparency—practices that are often absent in mass production by multinational corporations.
Shawn and Lawren later wrote a book titled Meaningful Work: The Quest for a Thriving Business, Finding Your Calling, and Personal Fulfillment, which was featured by Forbes. They also give TEDx talks about discovering one’s purpose and creating meaningful work.
Through their ethical approach to farming and their recognition of cocoa farmers, they believe consumers can almost “taste the stories” behind the chocolate they eat. The company even organizes trips for high school students to places such as the Amazon and Tanzania so that they can witness cocoa production firsthand and interact with farming communities.
Transparency reports on the company’s website demonstrate their commitment to improvement and accountability. Askinosie Chocolate pays farmers on average 45% more than the world market price and 35% more than the Fair Trade price, demonstrating a strong commitment to fairness and equity.
Labor Exploitation in the Chocolate Industry
Despite these positive examples, the chocolate industry has serious issues regarding worker treatment and respect for human rights.
Ghana and Ivory Coast are the two countries where the majority of child labor in cocoa production occurs. Approximately two million children work in cocoa-growing families due to the large agricultural industry and constant pressure to reduce prices and wages. Brazil has also recently emerged as another country where child labor has been documented.
The industry is extremely secretive, making it difficult for journalists to gather information and inform the public. In fact, one journalist was reportedly killed in Ivory Coast for exposing government corruption linked to the cocoa trade.
Large multinational companies such as Hershey, Mars, and Nestlé rely on cocoa supplied by farms where exploitative labor conditions often exist. Many farmers earn less than one dollar per day, far below the extreme poverty line. Some workers are not paid at all, a form of modern slavery.
Children are sometimes trafficked from small villages and sold to farms where they endure physical abuse, extremely long working hours, and exposure to dangerous chemicals used to kill insects. Many suffer injuries from machetes while harvesting cocoa pods high in trees.
In one town in Burkina Faso, nearly every mother has had a child trafficked to cocoa farms. These conditions trap families in a cycle of poverty that is almost impossible to escape.
Although several former child slaves from Mali have sued major chocolate companies, many corporations continue to distance themselves from responsibility. They often express concern but fail to implement meaningful changes.
Meanwhile, companies such as Askinosie Chocolate prioritize building relationships with farmers and their communities. Their programs allow students to travel to cocoa-producing regions, where they learn about local cultures and work alongside farmers. Activities include harvesting cocoa, visiting schools, and participating in cultural exchanges such as singing, dancing, and learning Swahili.
Environmental Consequences of Cocoa Production
Environmental sustainability means meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This requires preserving ecological balance and natural resources.
Unfortunately, cocoa production has significant environmental impacts. Large areas of tropical forest have been cleared to make room for cocoa plantations, leading to major biodiversity loss and habitat destruction.
In West Africa, deforestation has become particularly severe. Approximately 90% of forests in the region have been destroyed over the last century, and Ivory Coast alone lost 50% of its forests between 1999 and 2015.
Farmers facing pressure to produce more cocoa at lower prices often rely on pesticides and monoculture farming. Monoculture, where only one crop is grown repeatedly in the same area, depletes soil nutrients and reduces biodiversity.
Cocoa crops are also highly sensitive to changes in rainfall and temperature. As climate change increases the frequency of floods and droughts, farmers may resort to even more unsustainable practices to maintain production.
In contrast, Askinosie Chocolate produces chocolate in small batches, reducing the environmental impact of mass production. The company also uses environmentally friendly paper packaging.
Farmers who work with Askinosie sign agreements committing to responsible agricultural practices. Although many cannot afford formal organic certification, company managers verify that sustainable farming methods are used. For example, in Davao in the Philippines, farmers use natural mixtures such as goat urine and fish waste to protect cocoa trees from insects and fungal diseases.
Globalization and the Chocolate Economy
Economic globalization refers to the growing integration of national economies through trade, capital flows, technology, and labor. While globalization can create opportunities, it also raises significant ethical concerns.
One potential benefit is that countries can specialize in industries where they have a comparative advantage. This can create jobs and stimulate economic growth.
Globalization has also led to innovation, including experimental solutions such as laboratory-grown chocolate and carbon-neutral production methods. Although these alternatives remain expensive and uncommon, they represent steps toward a more sustainable future.
However, the disadvantages of globalization often outweigh these benefits. Income inequality continues to grow, and many jobs in developing countries are poorly paid and offer unsafe working conditions. The relocation of production to poorer countries in pursuit of profit has contributed to slavery, child labor, and dangerous work environments.
Globalization has also encouraged a culture of mass consumption and materialism, where identical products are sold around the world regardless of their environmental or social impact.
Environmental damage is another major consequence, including deforestation, habitat destruction, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions from global transportation networks.
In many cases, globalization also weakens government power. International financial institutions such as the IMF sometimes require heavily indebted countries to cut spending and privatize services, which can weaken social protection systems.
What Can Consumers Do?
Consumers also play an important role in promoting ethical production.
Choosing Fair Trade or direct trade chocolate brands, looking for certifications such as the Rainforest Alliance, and supporting transparent companies can make a difference. Dark chocolate may also produce fewer emissions than milk chocolate due to reduced dairy production.
Resources such as the Food Empowerment Project provide lists of chocolate companies that avoid child labor and slavery. Consumers can also contact companies directly to demand transparency or even boycott unethical brands.
Ultimately, ethical consumption requires awareness. By understanding the true impact of the products we buy, consumers can help balance economic prosperity with ethical responsibility. Conscious choices and increased awareness can help create a more sustainable and fair chocolate industry.
Sources:
foodindustryexecutive.com/2025/01/why-sustainability-is-key-to-the-future-of-chocolate-and-business/
www.humanium.org/en/the-dark-side-of-chocolate-child-labour-in-the-cocoa-industry/
askinosie.com/collections/all?srsltid=AfmBOooaEU4ak77pkTfbhznII9lppg103-Wx3sUEc2zaxlBIYjt1aju
unctad.org/news/cocoa-industry-reform-needed-stop-farmers-being-left-behind
geopoliticsunplugged.substack.com/p/sweet-power-the-geopolitics-of-chocolate
ksapa.org/sustainable-cocoa-cultivation-securing-a-fair-future-for-farmers/
www.wastefreeplanet.org/blog/how-does-chocolate-production-affect-the-environment
environmentamerica.org/resources/how-environmentally-friendly-is-your-chocolate/
