Happy Fair Trade Month!  For 31 days we’re setting out fun ideas and activities  (and a contest!) to have you eating Fair Trade bananas, hosting movie screenings, baking delicious Fair Trade goodies, recycling Halloween costumes, and giving out Fair Trade chocolates to trick-or-treaters. For more, visit Fair Trade Your Halloween.

Breaking news! 

Hershey’s has announced its commitment to source 100% certified cocoa by 2020.

This is a huge step for Hershey’s to improve its supply chain accountability and shows that it is responsive to consumer pressure and you helped us get here!

While we welcome today’s announcement, we continue to urge the chocolate giant to go 100 percent Fair Trade with incremental benchmarks.

As suggested in a joint statement from the Raise the Bar, Hershey! coalition, to truly address child labor, Hershey’s needs to make sure it is certifying all of its cocoa Fair Trade — the only certification that adequately addresses the Worst Forms of Child Labor.

Join us in thanking Hershey’s for taking this monumental step forward and urge the company to choose a 100% Fair Trade certification for its chocolate and truly raise the bar.

For more information about Hershey’s path toward certified cocoa, please see our blog post from earlier year when Hershey’s made its first announcement about going with Rainforest Alliance and its Bliss Bars.

Postcard colored in by Drea

This Easter season children around the Bay Area sent postcards to the Hershey Corporation asking Hershey to make sure its Cadbury brand Easter chocolates are not produced using child labor.

In addition, over 5,000 people signed Raise the Bar Hershey Coalition‘s petition urging Hershey’s and Cadbury to offer Fair Trade Chocolate Easter eggs and get slave labor out of our Easter baskets.

Young Fair Trade activist Natalie's postcard to Hershey

Why Hershey’s Easter chocolates?

In 1988, the Hershey Company purchased Cadbury’s US chocolate business, including the exclusive rights to make and sell well-known brands like York Peppermint Patties, Cadbury Crème Eggs, and Cadbury Solid Milk Chocolate Bunnies.

And while Cadbury has demonstrated its commitment to ending forced child labor on the West African cocoa industry by selling Fair Trade certified chocolates in the UK, Canada, Ireland, Japan, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, the same cannot be said of Cadbury’s chocolate products in the United States.

Natalie's colored-in postcard for Hershey

Why?
Unfortunately, the Hershey Company refuses to meet the standards set by Cadbury’s overseas operations, even though hundreds of thousands of US consumers have called on Hershey to raise the bar and remove forced child labor as an ingredient in its products. These same consumers are eager to purchase treats for their families that align with their values.

What to Do:

*Check out Green America’s Chocolate Scorecard to find some companies that offer delicious fair trade chocolate.

*Visit our Facebook page to see and comment on the postcards.

Cocoa tree ripe with pods

On January 30th, after years of being targeted by organized consumer Fair Trade actions including creative holiday kid’s actions, brand jamming contests, protests and rallies at flag ship Hershey store and shareholder meetings, Hershey has finally made a move!

The Raise the Bar Hershey’s campaign which has been calling on Hershey to go Fair Trade, collected over 100,000 petition signatures through Change.org and other sources, and organized petition deliveries, shareholder resolutions, and Facebook actions to blanket Hershey’s wall with messages.

Two days ago Hershey’s announced that it will make a commitment to purchasing Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa for all of its Bliss Chocolate products and it will invest $10 million dollars in education and its smart-phone CocoaLink project to teach West African farmers to be more efficient.

So what does this actually mean?  Have we won an important first step or are we being duped?

*The following sentence was updated on 3/27/2012 for clarification.

Original sentence: Hersheys’ CocoaLink, funded in part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is a project that aims to increase yields and productivity on small cocoa farms by introducing new plants, techniques and inputs to small farmers and provide them with real-time advice through a cell phone network.

Updated sentence: According to World Cocoa Foundation Communications Manager Marisa Yoneyama, “CocoaLink is possible through a public-private partnership between The Hershey Company, the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) and The Ghana Cocoa Board.” In early 2009, the World Cocoa Foundation announced a new, $40 million program funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 14 chocolate industry companies to significantly improve the livelihoods of approximately 200,000 cocoa farmers in Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia and Nigeria.

The (cell phone network) idea is that by increasing yields, farmers will have more income and the need for child labor will decrease.But will this work, and how would you know for sure?

Since passage of the Harkin-Engel Protocol over 10 years ago, Global Exchange’s Fair Trade program, along with the Raise the Bar Hershey’s Coalition, has been calling for a code of conduct for suppliers that would ban child labor and put measures in place to enforce such codes. Following Harkin-Engel, the whole chocolate industry committed to ending child labor, forced labor, and trafficking in their cocoa supply chains. A decade later, hundreds of thousands of children continue to labor in hazardous conditions in West Africa, particularly in the Ivory Coast and Ghana, and the US Department of Labor has noted five West African nations whose cocoa may still be tainted by forced and/or child labor.

It’s not clear how increased yields would actually eliminate the worst forms of child labor but monitoring is a good first step.  This is the first commitment that Hershey has made to using an independent, third – party certification system to ensure that its cocoa is grown sustainably, including the monitoring of forced and child labor.

This commitment is a welcome first step for Hershey to improve its supply chain accountability and shows that it is responsive to consumer pressure.

You did it!!  Your petitions, actions, questions and demands were heard!

This announcement also demonstrates that The Hershey Company acknowledges the severity of the labor abuses that taint the West African cocoa sector, where Hershey’s sources the majority of its cocoa.

So why aren’t we happier?

Well, Global Exchange has been committed to Fair Trade since its beginning in this country, and we believe that Fair Trade certification is the best way to achieve the goal of supply chain transparency, a fair price for farmers, and the elimination of forced child labor in the production of our chocolate.  There is a difference between Rain Forest Alliance Certification and something that is Fair Trade certified.

Fair Trade independent third-party certification addresses poverty, sustainability and empowerment of producers (and workers) in the world’s poorest countries through guaranteed minimum prices plus an additional social premium to be invested in community development.  Rainforest Alliance certification, also independent third-party, encompasses all aspects of sustainability as well, but does not offer guaranteed prices, relying instead on the farmers’ capacity to increase yields and efficiency and negotiate for themselves in the global marketplace. According to Rainforest Alliance’s own website:

Fairtrade labelling standards are designed to tackle poverty and empower producers in the world’s poorest countries, giving them a guaranteed price for their products. Rather than emphasizing how products are traded, Rainforest Alliance certification…focuses on how farms are managed.

Cocoa (or cacao) pods, where chocolate comes from

Increasing yields and efficiency may be a way to increase income temporarily, but without price guarantees it only means more cocoa for Hershey’s.  Relying on the market to set prices and farmers’ incomes means that when yields increase, prices will drop.   What will the efficiency and higher yields cost in terms of chemical inputs, strain on water resources and natural sustainability? Rainforest Alliance focuses on management rather than workers, on efficiency rather than justice. Hershey’s, you picked the wrong one!

Any model that is not truly sustainable, that chooses short-term gain for individual farmers over community development will not produce the conditions necessary to eliminate trafficking and forced child labor.

So is this a victory or not?

Yes, we should recognize this as a positive step forward but we can’t overstate it or we risk becoming too complacent and leaving the public confused.

Hershey’s has taken a step forward by:

• Responding to consumer pressure and Fair Trade activism: WE have convinced the largest chocolate company in the U.S to change the way it does business!
• Acknowledging the problem.
• Agreeing to third party verification.

We would like Hershey to continue taking more steps. Yes, we can celebrate. And then get back to work.

Photo Credit: Diane Lent

We recently shared a quick report back from last week’s Hershey rally in Times Square in a blog post full of links to photos and quotes from the energizing day.

Now we want you to see for yourself what an extraordinary sight it was, with 2-300 people, mostly K-12 students, standing up for the rights of youth on the other side of the globe. It was a profoundly embarrassing moment for Hershey, when hundreds of youth – the demographic that much of the company’s products and merchandising caters to – came to Hershey’s own front doorstep carrying signs, shouting chants, and calling Hershey out in public for using child labor in the cocoa fields.

Check out the incredible youth energy on this 15-second video, + more at http://www.youtube.com/raisethebarhershey.

The rally was an extraordinary success. First to arrive at the scene were 5th grade students from Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Fired up and ready to go, these 11-year-olds grabbed hold of the megaphone, initiating the chanting and marching outside the Hershey Store for the next few hours. Moments later, students from New York and New Jersey high schools arrived and began chanting and dancing along the streets, calling on Hershey to go Fair Trade.

Photo Credit: Diane Lent

Members of the coordinating organizations and a countless number of the thousands of locals and tourists that constantly throng Times Square joined the protest, grabbed signs to enthusiastically hold high, picked up informational flyers, signed petitions, and participated in the call-in action to Hershey. The turnout to hold Hershey accountable for failure to eliminate child labor from its supply chain was so huge that there wasn’t enough space in front of the Hershey Store and we completely filled the sidewalks on both sides of the street as well as the adjacent loading zone, but that only made our chants louder! Anyone who drove between the two massive groups on Broadway, the major thoroughfare through Times Square, heard our cries for justice reverberating in their cars.

I was the Master of Ceremonies and  speakers included 11-year-old Marie Hogan, Global Exchange’s San Francisco Sweet Smarts chapter leader, and Neil Rathan, an NYC teacher whose use of Global Exchange’s Fair Trade unit inspired his students to launch Children Against Chocolate Aided Oppression (which challenges forced and child labor in the cocoa industry and promotes Fair Trade). The band Left on Red, the Raging Grannies, and New Jersey’s St. Benedictine Academy also performed songs and slam poetry.

Another amazing speaker in attendance was human rights advocate, Kerry Kennedy as she addressed the crowd and repeated what we all know: “There’s nothing sweet about child labor.” Watch the video of her speaking for yourself and do us a favor and stand up with the youth by spreading this video around to your networks and spreading the word about Fair Trade.

Only you can ensure that the message of these youth reaches out across the internet, educating millions of people and resulting in real change.

Share it on Facebook and send out a tweet about it:

“Must-see rally video: “Nothing sweet about child labor.”- Kerry Kennedy & youth @ NYC Hershey store http://bit.ly/mEpKPW #HersheyGoFair RT

Let’s show Hershey that we will not back down. We will continue to urge Hershey and other chocolate companies to end their abuses in the cocoa industry.

Thanks and congratulations to each of you who helped make the rally a success, whether you came to the rally, forwarded an invitation to folks in New York (MANY participants heard about the rally through your forwarded emails, Facebook, etc), participated in the call-in action, etc. Your dedication to the Raise the Bar Hershey Campaign is an inspiration to us all.

The chant at the end? “Hershey, make your chocolate fair, or we’ll be back here in Times Square.”

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Got $5 to spare? Make a contribution for the next rally!

HERSHEY RALLY WRAP UP
The ‘Raise the Bar Hershey’ rally took place in front of the Hershey store in Times Square. Lots of people turned out, including school kids and Kerry Kennedy, and Global Exchange’s Adrienne and Emily.

Check out Hey Hey! Ho Ho! Child Labor has got to Go! to read all about it and see pics. And check back here on our Fair Trade blog in a few days for a new video from the rally.

3RD ANNUAL FAIR TRADE CALENDAR PHOTO CONTEST

The third annual Fair Trade Calendar Photo Contest is in full swing. The time is NOW to submit Fair Trade themed photos on behalf of your business or organization for the chance to be included in the 2012 Fair Trade calendar. You can enter photos from producer or consumer countries. The 12 winning Fair Trade photos will be featured in the 2012 Fair Trade Calendar.

Here’s What to Do:
1) Submit Photos (June 1-26, 2011)
1.    Read contest Guidelines/Eligibility for details on qualifying, specifications, etc.
2.    Email each photo, with a caption up to 50 words to photocontest@ftrn.org;
3.    Pay submission fee of $10/photo at Fair Trade Resource Network’s Online Store;
2) Vote for Photos (June 27 – July 16, 2011)
Vote online for your favorites, with a link announced on FTRN’s website on June 27. The 12 winning photos will be featured each month in the 2012 Fair Trade Calendar. Over 1500 people voted for their favorite photos in last year’s contest!

To learn more about the Fair Trade Calendar Photo Contest, visit FTRN’s website or email photocontest@ftrn.org.

SERIOUSLY INSPIRING VIDEO YOU JUST HAVE TO WATCH!

Thanks to Fair Trade Sports for sharing this gem on its blog. That’s where I first discovered it. According to the post, TMB Bank launched this short film as part of a new brand vision, “Make THE Difference,” to inspire people to start thinking differently.

This video encompasses the wonderfulness of kids, soccer (er, football), and well, life in general! 1,380,434 people (and counting) on YouTube have watched it. Have you?

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
3blmedia: Fair Trade USA and Textile Exchange Form Strategic Partnership
Going Green Examiner: Why Choose Fair Trade?
axiomnews: United Kingdom Sees Meteoric Rise in Fair Trade
GOOD: Finding a Sweet Spot for Fair Trade Sugar Farmers
PRNewswire: On-Trend Products Defying Economic Downturn
Evening Times (UK): Schools to go into battle for Fairtrade cup

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Check back here on our Fair Trade blog for more Fair Trade News Round-Ups…your one-stop shop for current Fair Trade news and events. And if you’ve got big Fair Trade news to share, email me!

Elizabeth & Shelley at Hershey's

Today, the Hershey Company’s board of directors and shareholders came together for their annual meeting in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

So, what better day than today to call on Hershey’s to chart a new course into a future free of child labor and poverty in communities that grow the company’s cocoa.

Green America’s Fair Trade coordinator, Elizabeth O’Connell and former Global Exchange Fair Trade intern, Shelley Alingas attended the shareholder meeting and were able to get up to the microphone and ask questions about child labor and speak out on behalf of the thousands of West African children forced into labor on the cocoa fields during the Q&A period.

The Raise the Bar, Hershey Campaign, sponsored by Global Exchange, Green America, and the International Labor Rights Forum, also used today to announce the winners of the Hershey Brand Jamming contest. The Brand Jamming contest brought attention to Hershey’s failure to crack down on child labor and other abuses in its cocoa supply chain by asking activists all over to use their creativity to create mock advertisements telling Hershey’s to raise the bar on their corporate social responsibility.

The Grand Prize overall winner of $1,000 was Jason Pearson of San Clemente, CA whose one-minute mock video advertisement “Brand Jam” tells the real story of where cocoa comes from.

Thousands of people all over voted for their favorite entries for the best slogan, best video, and best ad. Congratulations to all our winners and entrants! A big thank you also goes out to all those who voted.

The winner for Best Slogan: “Hershey: Sweet Chocolate. Bitter Story” submitted by Tyson Weems of Portland, ME.

The winner for Best Video: Behind the Hershey Smiles, submitted by Aaron Thurman: Indianapolis, IN.

The winner for Best Poster: Children Behind Bars, submitted by Jason Pearson of San Clemente, CA

All first place winners will receive a Fair Trade chocolate gift basket. The winning entries will be used by the Raise the Bar Hershey campaign to call attention to Hershey’s failure to address child and forced labor in its cocoa supply chain. Winning entries will be featured at Green Festivals nationwide, on t-shirts, buttons, and bumper stickers. For more on the winners and a list of the runner-ups, visit the Brand Jam winners page.

To reinforce the message that has been sent at the Hershey’s shareholder meeting concerned consumers across the country are sending emails to Hershey and posting on the company’s Facebook wall. They join the 30,000 people who have already contacted the company to make it clear that cocoa made with forced child labor is unacceptable.

As GX’s Fair Trade Cocoa Director, Adrienne Fitch-Frankel states:

“Hershey shareholders deserve to know the facts: Hershey has failed to eliminate child and forced labor from its cocoa supply chain, nearly a decade after committing to do so. This creates a dangerous level of risk for investors, and an intolerable situation for the children effected.”

Let your voice be heard. Send a message to Hershey’s board and shareholders by signing our online petition. We are trying to collect 10,000 new signatures today to send a clear message to shareholders.

Stay connected with Global Exchange’s Fair Trade cocoa campaign by signing up to their e-mail list and get the latest updates on the Raise the Bar campaign and other actions you can take to get Hershey’s to go Fair Trade.

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE MOCK HERSHEY’S AD

The Raise the Bar Hershey Campaign brand jamming contest entries are in, and wait till you see them! The mock Hershey ads, slogans and videos call on Hershey to eliminate child and forced labor from its cocoa supply chain, and shift sourcing to Fair Trade. For one week only campaign coordinators Green America, International Labor Rights Forum and Global Exchange invite you to vote for your favorite contest entry finalist.

Graphic Credit: Green America

The deadline for voting is Tuesday, April 26th, so vote soon. The winners of each category will receive a Fair Trade chocolate gift basket, and the overall winner will receive a $1000 grand prize. Winners will be announced April 28th, the day of Hershey’s annual shareholder’s meeting.

CAMPAIGN MAKES IT EASY FOR SHOPPERS TO TELL SUPERMARKETS TO GO FAIR TRADE

Green America is making it easy for you to help Supermarkets go Fair Trade. From Green America’s website:

Many Fair Trade products – from coffee to cocoa to tea to fruits – belong on supermarket shelves. Yet, most supermarkets are only offering a fraction of the Fair Trade products that are available, and are not actively promoting the products they do offer. Please join us in encouraging supermarkets to sell more Fair Trade products and to educate their customers about the importance of purchasing them.

Here’s how it works: Simply go online to select from a list of supermarkets that you shop at and send them a message asking them to offer more Fair Trade products and promote them.

EASTER COLOR-IN LETTER FOR KIDS

More chocolate is sold in the US at Easter than any other time of the year except Halloween. And Hershey manufactures Cadbury Crème Eggs and other products sold in the US.

This downloadable/printable Easter color-in letter encourages Hershey CEO David West to shift towards Fair Trade cocoa. So print it out, color it in, and mail it in to add your voice to the Fair Trade mix.

WORLD FAIR TRADE DAY T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST

Want your Tee Design on an AP T-shirt? Submit your custom designs: April 1 – May 8!

Autonomie’s Project’s commemoration of World Fair Trade Day (May 14th), in partnership with the Fair Trade Resource Network and Fair Trade Boston, is a World Fair Trade Day Tee Design Contest. They’re looking for folks to come up with a new, unique design for one of their adult tees to be sold on AutonomieProject.com. Visit Autonomie’s Project’s website for details.

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:
Article: US market has ‘barely scratched the surface’ of Fair Trade market potential
Article: Cooperative Coffees Products Get “Fair for Life” Certification
Blog Post: Artisans in India Share Examples of Fair Trade Impact
Article: More Australians look to fair trade eggs

Check back here on our Fair Trade blog for more Fair Trade News Round-Ups…your one-stop shop for current Fair Trade news and events. And if you’ve got big Fair Trade news to share, email me!

Professional looking graphics mixed with creative messaging result in some wonderful mock ads depicting the truth behind Hershey; that this company is contributing to instead of helping to alleviate child slavery rampant in the cocoa industry.

The mock Hershey ads, slogans and videos call on Hershey to eliminate child and forced labor from its cocoa supply chain, and shift sourcing to Fair Trade.

Vote for Your Fave:  For 1 week only campaign coordinators Green America, International Labor Rights Forum and Global Exchange invite you to:

1.  VOTE for your favorite contest entry finalist;
2.  SHARE this post with your friends, family, and coworkers by using the Share and Tweet buttons (located on top right of this post.)

The deadline for voting is Tuesday, April 26th, so please take a few minutes to vote for your favorite, and Share and Tweet this post to help spread the word.

The winner of each category will receive a Fair Trade chocolate gift basket, and the overall winner will receive a $1000 grand prize. Winners will be announced on Thursday, April 28th, which just also happens to be the day of Hershey’s annual shareholder meeting:)

Thanks to everyone who has participated in this Hershey’s Brand Jamming contest thus far, either by spreading the word or submitting an entry, and good luck contestants!

Here’s your roundup of the latest news and updates related to Fair Trade. This week, Fair Trade soccer hits Chicago, Wall Street Journal mentions Fair Trade spirits, a brand jamming contest winners pot swells, and lots more!

Graphic Credit: ILRF

NEW $1,000 PRIZE ANNOUNCED FOR HERSHEY BRAND JAM CONTEST
Since we announced the Hershey Brand Jam contest a few weeks ago, there has been one large development. $1,000 large, to be exact.

The winner of the Hershey Brand Jam contest will receive $1,000. That’s a lot of clams!

How did this happen? A little birdy told me that an enthusiastic supporter generously donated $1,000 to sweeten the contest pot. Cool, huh?

Here’s where you come in…
There are two ways for you to get involved:

1. Enter the contest yourself
   
2. Help spread the word by clicking the Facebook “Share” and Twitter “Tweet” buttons next to this post and encourage others to do the same.
   

Contest Deadline:  April 10, 2011

What is the brand jamming contest?
Brand jamming generally uses parody, satire, and humor to expose undesirable corporate practices, often with mock ads. Here are 2 examples:

1. Chevron greenwashing ad
2. Chevron Campaign ads calling out Chevron’s hypocrisy

This contest is part of the Raise the Bar Hershey Campaign’s efforts to urge Hershey to end child and forced labor and trafficking in the cocoa fields of West Africa, as well as shift sourcing to Fair Trade, which prohibits these practices.

The brand jamming contest has three categories:

1. Slogan/tagline
2. Advertisement, up to 8.5×11
3. Video, up to 2 minutes

Contest Prizes:

• One big winner receives $1,000
• Every submission will receive a 10% off coupon from Global Exchange’s Fair Trade stores
• Winner in each category will receive a “Chocolate Lovers” Gift Basket from Global Exchange’s Fair Trade online store
• First runners up in each category will receive a Green America t-shirt and 4 2011 Green Festival entrance tickets for the Green Festival city of your choice

For contest information, go to:

• Raise the Bar Hershey Campaign
• Brand Jamming Contest Rules, Ideas, Resources, etc

Photo Credit: Fair Trade Sports

FAIR TRADE KICKS OFF WITH CHICAGO HIGHSCHOOLERS
Our friends at Fair Trade Sports share some exciting Fair Trade news from Chicago:

Chicago Fair Trade inspired Chicago’s high school students through the city’s first Fair Trade soccer games. Over 60 students participated from three area schools. The Telpochcalli Youth Project from Little Village (a neighborhood in Chicago) kicked off the event with a Peace Talk that set the tone of compassion and mutual respect between players. As two groups played against each other on the field – another set of students listened to a presentation about Fair Trade, facilitated by students from Kelly High School’s Social Justice club.

You can read the complete article here.

FAIR TRADE TRIP: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FAIR COCOA HARVEST
For those that love chocolate AND Fair Trade, consider joining Global Exchange’s upcoming Fair Cocoa Harvest trip.  During this transformative international travel experience to the Dominican Republic, you’ll learn about the importance of Fair Trade in the cocoa industry and how certification and economic alternatives can dramatically improve the lives of producers.

Program Highlights:

• Visit a Fair Trade Certified Cooperative
• Live and work with family members of CONOCADO, a fair trade cocoa cooperative in the Dominican Republic.
• Visit local nature sites and observe wildlife (waterfalls, forests, birds, orchids, etc.).
• Visit various parts of the community, such as the barrios of hacienda laborers.
• Learn what life is like for non-fair trade cocoa farmers and laborers.
• Learn about the history of cooperatives and how they are organized.
• Meet with students, environmentalists and human rights activists working toward social justice.
• Learn about current relations between the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Cost: $1600
Price Includes:

• Double room accommodations
• All program activities and entrance fees
• Two meals per day
• In-country transportation
• Qualified trip leader
• English-speaking guides
• Reader on the Dominican Republic
• Tips, international airfare, and personal expenses are not included.
• Price is based on double room accommodations; add $200 for single room.
• limited number of partial scholarships are available for low-income applicants.

For information about this and other Fair Trade trips to Dominican Republic visit this page.

Photo Credit: Wall Street Journal

FAIR TRADE VODKA HIGHLIGHTED IN WALL STREET JOURNAL
The Wall Street Journal recently encouraged readers to “Get Buzzed on Quinoa.” What they were referring to is FAIR’s quinoa-derived vodka and liqueurs. Fair is a company that offers a line of Fair Trade Certified spirits. Check out the Wall Street Journal article here.

RECORDING OF POPULAR WEBINAR NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
If you missed Fair Trade Resource Network’s Webinar 106: How Much Ingredients Should be Fair Trade for a Product to get the Label of Fair Trade? you can listen to it now online here for just $5. The webinar panelists include:
1. Dr. Bronner’s CEO, David Bronner
2. Fair Trade USA’s VP of Business Development and Marketing, Mary Jo Cook
3. Ben & Jerry’s Director of Social Mission, Rob Michalak

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LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:

• Pledge page for film project: Nothing Like Chocolate: A Feature Documentary. Contribute $ to help fund this new film about chocolate
• Article: Fair Trade Firsts at Largest U.S. Natural Products Trade Show
• Article: Green & Black’s Meets Fairtrade Pledge
• Video: TV show Conversations With Great Minds with guest Ian Fletcher speaking about why free trade is a bad idea

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Special note: Next week I will not be posting a Fair Trade Roundup because I’ll be traveling in Guatemala on a Fair Trade Reality Tour. Keep an eye out for blog posts about my adventure down the road a bit, right here on our Fair Trade blog.

The best entry in the Raise the Bar Hershey Campaign brand jamming contest will now win a $1,000 cash prize!

New extended deadline: April 10, 2011

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Have a little creative fun with the Raise the Bar Hershey Campaign!

Announcing our Hershey Brand Jamming contest.

We’re teaming up with our Fair Trade allies, Green America, the International Labor Rights Forum and you to create ads asking Hershey to end pervasive child and forced labor and trafficking in the cocoa fields and replace it with Fair Trade.

It’s time to use your creativity to tell Hershey’s to raise the bar on their corporate social responsibility.

Hershey’s has long avoided addressing the issue of child and forced labor that persist in its cocoa supply chain. Let’s keep the pressure on them.

You’ve seen brand-jamming like this before when Global Exchange Sweatfree campaign spoofed The Gap’s ads or when several organizations, including Global Exchange, came together to call out Chevron’s greenwashing campaign in these clever and powerful spoof ads.

The Hershey brand-jamming contest will be judging on three categories:

• Best mock slogan/tagline
• Best print advertisement
• Best mock commercial in video format (up to 2 minutes long)

E-mail entries to fairtrade@globalexchange.org. Deadline for submissions will be March 24, 2011.

The winner of each category will get a “Chocolate Lovers” Gift Basket from Global Exchange’s Fair Trade store. All those who submit entries will receive a 10% off coupon from Global Exchange’s Fair Trade stores.

Once submissions are in, we will invite you to vote on the winners.

Visit our Hershey Brand Jamming page for more information about the contest and for resources to get your started.

Happy Jamming!