3 Candy Makers that Aim to Eliminate Child Labor

"Candy's Dark Side" is a Change.org series that looks at the health, ethical, and environmental costs of producing Halloween treats. For more installments in this series, click here.

Chocolate may taste all sugary and delicious, but the treat's production ain't always so sweet. Some cocoa gets sprayed with pesticides and herbicides, chemicals that harm the earth and human health. Plus, much of the world's cocoa beans come from Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire, countries rife with child labor and trafficking. According to Fairtrade Labelling Organizations (FLO), more than one million children are employed in West Africa's cocoa sector, a practice that's earned the industry the infamous title of "blood chocolate."

While major candy companies are slow to adopt earth-friendly and ethically produced cocoa beans (we're looking at you, Hershey's), a handful of chocolate producers aim to raise the bar on cocoa production. If your sweet tooth is smarting this Halloween week, try purchasing your treats from one of these candy companies. By seeking out socially responsible purveyors, you can ensure that your Halloween goodies didn't come at the expense of the environment or little children.

Angell Organic Candy Bars

Angell just launched its product two weeks ago, and the company is already earning a sweet reputation in the sustainable food realm. The bars — which come in gluten-free, crispy milk chocolate; coconut white chocolate; vegan dark chocolate; and original varieties — are made with only organic and Fair Trade-certified ingredients. While most Fair Trade chocolates tend to fall on the gourmet end of the spectrum, Christopher Angell, the company's president, says that Angell bars are modeled after the traditional, American candy bar — without all the artificial, processed ingredients and child labor, of course. Bars are both kid-friendly and relatively healthy, with each treat containing fewer than 200 calories.

Green & Black's

Green & Black's sources all of its cocoa beans from organic cocoa cooperatives in the Dominican Republic. Earlier this year, the company committed to sourcing all of its cocoa from Fair Trade-certified operations, ensuring that the farmers growing its beans get paid proper wages and enjoy good working conditions. In addition to standard Milk, Dark, and White chocolate bar varieties, Green and Black's offers unusual flavors like Hazelnut and Currant, Cherry, and Ginger bars.

Divine Chocolate

Divine Chocolate is the only Fair Trade-certified chocolate company that is also 45 percent-owned by the farmers who grow the company's cocoa beans. Twin, a U.K. NGO, actually helped set up the company. Divine sources its beans from Kuapa Kokoo, a cocoa cooperative in Ghana whose name means "Good Cocoa Growers." Not only does this cooperative get a fair price for its beans, it's able to put its profits back into the community, building wells, schools, and mobile medical clinics.

While Angell, Green & Black's, and Divine all aim to raise the bar when it comes to cocoa production, some large-scale candy makers refuse to adopt more ethical and environmentally friendly business practices. Sign our petition asking Hershey's, North America's leading candy manufacturer, to help eliminate child labor from its supply chain by incorporating Fair Trade-certified cocoa into its products.

Photo credit: Magic Madzik via Flickr