Cargill sentenced for contributing to child labor ring

One of the largest exporters of commodities, Cargill was condemned in the first instance for having as cocoa suppliers rural producers who practiced child labor and slave-like labor.

According to information from the Labor Prosecution Service, the company will have to pay BRL 600 thousand as collective moral damage as well as implementing measures, such as formalizing contracts with all the producers and suppliers of the fruit, the main raw material for its chocolates and cocoa butter. In all, six obligations were imposed on the company.

In the view of the four prosecutors in charge of the case, the cocoa industry is marked by greed and adopts the exploitation of grassroots workers in the name of profit as a matter of course, as the Bahia prosecutors pointed out in a statement. The authorities also ordered Cargill to help monitor this type of crime in its segment. The enterprise will also have to run an advertising campaign to combat slavery and child labor for at least three years, and could be fined BRL 10 thousand should it fail to comply with the orders.

Judge Naiara Lage Pereira, who ruled on the case, argued there is no doubt about the perpetration of unlawful practices on the farms in Bahia and Pará states, as well as the association between the suppliers caught and Cargill. In her opinion, “by favoring hiring through transfer agents, the defendant [Cargill] increasingly fosters the material outsourcing system, facilitating the aggravation precarious labor relations.”

In response to questions from Agência Brasil about the conviction, Cargill said it could not comment on the details of the case and stated it does not tolerate human trafficking, forced labor, or child labor in its operations or supply chain,” adding it seeks to anticipate “potential problems,” while “actively working to protect human rights.”

“We support the Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations to promote decent work for all, including the goal of eliminating child labor. In Brazil, all suppliers are checked against government embargo lists and, if violations are identified, we take immediate action to suspend the supplier,” the company’s statement reads.

The firm also replied that, in the 56 years it has been present in Brazil, it has demonstrated a commitment to complying with all laws applicable to its business in the country: “We take this commitment seriously and demand that our suppliers and partners join us in prioritizing the safety, well-being, and dignity of individuals.”