Child labor - bitter truth about chocolate

International Labor Rights Forum published 2009 Chocolate Company Scorecard concerning the issue of child labor in chocolate production. 

"The major US chocolate companies signed an agreement in 2001 (called the Harkin-Engel Protocol) committing to ensuring that they were not purchasing cocoa beans harvested by the worst forms of child labor, but in 2009, children continue to work in West African cocoa farms."

Results (progress 2001-2009) :

"The bitter" (the worst results) : Hershey, Mars, Nestle

"The semi-sweet" (right direction): Godiva, Ghirardelli/Lindt, Starbucks, Dagoba, Endangered Species Chocolate

"The sweetest!" (the most committed): Sweet Earth Chocolates, Divine Chocolate, Equal Exchange. See Commitment to Ethical Cocoa Sourcing