May 3rd, 2021
Fair World Project Celebrates First Season of New Podcast, For a Better World, Covering Complicated Supply Chain Issues Behind Ingredients in Nestlés KitKat Bar
Creators of For a Better World to Host Webinar Discussion for World Fair Trade Day, May 7, with Advocates from Dr. Bronner’s, AlterEco, Norandino Cooperative, and Equal Exchange
PORTLAND, OR – Fair World Project is celebrating the launch of the premiere season of their new podcast, For a Better World, by hosting a webinar panel discussion “Building a Fair, Ethical Chocolate Trade” in advance of World Fair Trade Day, on Friday, May 7, with panelists from Dr. Bronner’s, AlterEco, Norandino Cooperative, Serendipalm, and Equal Exchange. Starting at 10:00 AM Pacific US / 1:00 PM Eastern, the panelists will discuss key topics raised by Season 1, which takes a close look at the complicated supply chain issues behind the ingredients in Nestlé’s KitKat Bar and what it takes to produce the chocolate. Agroforestry, gender justice, fair livelihoods, and community-led development are just a few of the topics that the panelists will touch on. Listeners are invited to bring their questions
“Chocolate may not be an essential food based on nutrients alone, but as author Simran Sethi muses on Season 1 of our new podcast, it’s a soul staple,” says Dana Geffner, Executive Director of Fair World Project and Host of For a Better World. “In celebration and in grief, so many turn to chocolate like it’s a close friend. Yet, for all the joy a chocolate bar brings, the farmers who grow the ingredients are struggling. For decades, big chocolate companies have promised to do better. They’ve signed onto voluntary certifications and corporate social responsibility programs. However, the same old problems not only remain unresolved—they’ve gotten worse.”
Up until recently, Nestlé had their UK version of their famous KitKat bar Fairtrade certified. With the U.S. Supreme Court expected to rule soon in a case holding Nestle to account for trafficked child labor in their cocoa supply chains, the company’s business practices are again in the spotlight. This season of the podcast looks at the tension between the facts surrounding Nestlé and its sourcing practices and the changes that happened during the pandemic. Listeners can hear from the cocoa farmers who worked with Nestlé, the activists holding Nestlé accountable, and visionary leaders around the world who are showing that a fair, ethical chocolate trade is not only possible—it’s already happening.
Listeners are invited to bring their questions to Fair World Project’s World Fair Trade Day webinar for a deeper understanding of what’s behind the chocolate supply chain—and how to support a sustainable future for chocolate and the people who grow it. Webinar will be accessible in English and Spanish. Panelists will include: Antoine Ambert, Alter Eco; Fernando Reyes, Norandino Co-op; Gero Leson, Dr. Bronner; Julia Baumgartner, Equal Exchange; Safianu Moro, Serendipalm; Moderated by Anna Canning, Campaigns Manager of Fair World Project and Narrator and Script Writer of For a Better World.
To register for and join Fair World Project’s World Fair Trade Day Webinar on May 7, please visit:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/5016186104034/WN_pl9_v6JJTe-bX3xpO3GjcA
Season one of the For a Better World podcast is out now and streaming across all major podcast listening platforms. Listeners may download and subscribe to For a Better World through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Tune In, and more; as well as through the Fair World Project website. To listen to the first season (transcripts available), please visit: https://fairworldproject.org/podcasts/.
To listen to the For a Better World podcast trailer and view the full press kit, please visit:
http://bit.ly/ForABetterWorldPodcastPressKit2021
Fair World Project believes in paying people for sharing their time, energy, and expertise, especially those who have contributed to the podcast. The show has set up a stipend fund, available to all guests interviewed for the making of For a Better World. To support the stipend fund, donate through Patreon, please visit: https://patreon.com/ForABetterWorldPodcast