Our Fair trade policy.

Whittaker's source all of the cocoa beans that we use from Ghana and not from the Ivory Coast. We purchase the beans through the Ghanaian Cocoa Board which is the government marketing organization that sells the Ghanaian cocoa crop.

In a Labour study conducted into the Ghana Cocoa Industry in 2007, no evidence was found of child trafficking or children being bound on cocoa farms to the detriment of their education.

We do not believe, therefore, that the cocoa beans that we purchase from Ghana involve child slave labour.

The whole Ghanaian Cocoa Industry is currently going through a certification process which has its focus on four key areas:

1. Ensuring that cocoa is grown responsibly and that children are neither harmed nor denied schooling
2. Improving the long term sustainability of cocoa farming
3. Strengthening farming communities through access to education and training
4. Supporting effort to protect and enhance the environment

We do not condone any abusive child labour or forced labour activities in the production of cocoa beans. We are members of the Confectionery Manufacturers of Australasia and the World Cocoa Foundation. We fully support the programmes that these organizations, in partnership with other international agencies, are conducting in West Africa to end any abusive labour practices.

The websites www.candy.net.au, www.worldcocoafoundation.org, www.cocoainitiative.org and www.cocobod.gh will give you more detailed information about the positive work that is being carried out in West Africa and what has be achieved to date particularly in terms of the Ghana Certification process.

In addition, Whittaker's Creamy Milk block is now Fairtrade accredited. The cocoa beans are sourced from the Kuapa Kokoo Fairtrade co-operative in Ghana and the sugar is sourced from a Fairtrade plantation in Costa Rica.