The aim of this paper is to explore governance practices in the global chocolate industry and whether they are able to create the right conditions for sustainable development in the sector. The chocolate industry is often used in management literature to illustrate particular points relating to CSR and ethics in the supply chain (see for example Crane, 2013; Dahan & Gittens, 2010; Coombs & Holladay, 2013; Gold et al, 2015; Blowfield, 2013; Blowfield & Murray, 2008). This is due to historical associations with slavery (Satre 2005) and to the fact that it has faced more recent sustainability challenges such as child labour (Berlan 2013), farmer poverty and deforestation. As a result, this is a sector rife with corporate social responsibility interventions ranging from certification schemes, voluntary multi-stakeholder initiatives, international agreements and public-private partnerships. While there is some research on these initiatives (Bitzer et al, 2012; Shapiro and Rosenquist, 2004), many knowledge gaps remain, especially in the area of impact. Furthermore, such initiatives are difficult for chocolate consumers to be able to make sense of, especially as certain companies are developing their own certification schemes and competing claims abound. There is also ongoing criticism of the enduring power asymmetries at the heart of the global chocolate industry and the fact that different forms of governance have evolved in response to external and internal company pressures but been heavily shaped by corporate discourses. Therefore, an examination of the initiatives and modes of governance which are effective in promoting socio-economic development is both timely and important, especially given the global commitments made to the Sustainable Development Goals. The originality of this paper is that it takes an anthropological approach on these issues based on long-term empirical field research with cocoa farmers, as well as desk-based reviews of private sector policies, as provided by corporate reports and company websites. The analysis confirms that power asymmetries in the supply chain remain a problem but also brings to light a number of opportunities for change. It is argued that research on the chocolate sector based on qualitative methodologies furthers debates regarding governance by showing the need to have a greater focus on inclusivity and the paper argues that this can be achieved through measures such as participatory auditing or independent product lifecycle assessments enabling more targeted and community-appropriate sustainability interventions. The paper concludes that more effective interventions can be put in place and fairer global economies can be achieved, and that the chocolate sector can become an example of good practice.
Keywords: cocoa, chocolate, governance, producer empowerment
5d. Value chains & trade
