Nestlé response on child slavery in its cocoa supply chain to #nestlefamily on Twitter

Nestlé has agreed to respond to questions following a grade A public relations (PR) disaster on Twitter.

Its response on child slavery in the cocoa industry is posted here:

http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/10/03/follow-up-questions-for-nestle/#comment-19373

I have posted the following comment:

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Nestlé says: “That is why Nestle has actively participated in the chocolate industry’s efforts to address the issue through steps outlined in the Harkin-Engel Protocol, and is a founding participant of the International Cocoa Initiative and a member of the World Cocoa Foundation.”

Errr…. Nestlé has not lived up to its undertakings and has been taken to court over this. Nestlé was invited to a public meeting about the progress of the initiative on 18 September 2006 and refused to attend. But a few days later it was sponsoring an event on slavery in the UK!

It's not Baby Milk Action’s issue (I work for Baby Milk Action) so I interviewed the Director of the International Labor Rights Fund to find out more. Listen at:

http://www.babymilkaction.org/press/press28sept06.html

Nestlé wrote the book on ‘Engineering of Consent’. There is a very good briefing paper on this, with the subtitle “Uncovering PR Strategies” from the Cornerhouse at:

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/item.shtml?x=51961

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You can find out more about the concerns regarding child slavery and child labour from the International Labor Rights Fund. See the chocolate section of:

http://www.nestlecritics.org/

There is also a section in the report submitted by Nestlé Critics to the United Nations Global Compact Office, calling on Nestlé to be expelled for bringing this voluntary Corporate Social Responsibility initiative into disrepute. Nestlé uses it for PR purposes, while failing to respect its principles. Download the report at:

http://www.babymilkaction.org/shop/publications01.html#globalcompact