Oaktree and World Vision Claim Cadbury Fairtrade Victory

A youth-led Australian Not for Profit Foundation, started by former Young Australia of the Year, Hugh Evans and the high profile organisation, World Vision are claiming victory in a campaign which has resulted in Cadbury Australia announcing it will go completely Fairtrade in its milk chocolate range.

Oaktree’s general manager, Nick Allardice says his organisation took to the streets in 2008 to fight for the 8.4 million children who are slaves in the world today.

He says that through their End Child Slavery Campaign, they had thousands of people attend events across the country, tens of thousands signing petitions and they directly lobbied the International Cocoa Initiative and individual companies like Cadbury to change their supply chain practices.

As well, World Vision Chief Executive Tim Costello says more than 25,000 Australians participated in World Vision’s Don’t Trade Lives action on the chocolate industry, calling and visiting chocolate manufacturers and retailers, signing petitions, holding protests and visiting Members of Parliament to demand change.

Nick Allardice says the change has meant over $500,000 will be injected into sustainable farming communities in the next 12 months alone.

He says while Cadbury still has dozens of products which are not certified Fairtrade, he still wants to say thankyou to Cadbury for making the change.

Oaktree was founded in 2003 and is now established in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland,South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia.

Tim Costello says children in West Africa will directly benefit from Cadbury Australia’s decision to certify its Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate block as Fairtrade.

He says research in the Ivory Coast and Ghana – which together make up 60% of the world’s cocoa – reveals up to 80% of children in cocoa fields are being exposed to dangerous practices such as the unprotected use of chemicals, carrying heavy loads, brush burning and using machetes.

He says the Cadbury decision has clearly distinguished the manufacturer as a leader in the Australian chocolate industry.

Cadbury says it will achieve Fairtrafe certification on its dairy milk chocolate in Australia by Easter 2010.

Fairtrade is a unique, independent system providing farmers with the security of fair minimum prices for their produce and additional investment for social, environmental and economic development in their communities.

Fairtrade Executive Director Steve Knapp says Cadbury’s commitment to using Fairtrade Certified cocoa was a landmark step from a local, market-leading chocolate manufacturer.

He says Cadbury’s commitment to Fairtrade is life-changing news for cocoa farmers who will be able to sell more of their cocoa as Fairtrade, helping to improve living standards and create a better future for their families and communities.

Managing Director for Cadbury Australia & New Zealand Mark Callaghan says Cadbury’s commitment to use Fairtrade Certified cocoa made it the first major chocolate manufacturer in Australia to make the change.