The organizations Südwind and Global 2000 evaluated the chocolate figures according to social and ecological criteria. The result is sobering.
The last day of the lockdown, December 6th, is Nikolo. Due to the pandemic, this important Christian holiday will be different this year than usual. Many children will probably only pay a visit to St. Nicholas in his sweet version, because St. Nicholas is also in lockdown.
To ensure that the St. Nicholas Festival is also socially and ecologically fair, the development organization Südwind and the environmental protection organization Global 2000 subjected a total of 18 chocolate Santa Clauses in Austrian retail to a sustainability check – and rated them green, yellow or red according to the traffic light colors. The main focus was on fair payment for producers, environmental protection and the exclusion of child labor.
Test winners are therefore the “EZA Schoko-Nikolo”, which is available in the world shops, the “Spar Natur pur Bio-Nikolaus” from Spar, the “Monarc Bio-Fairtrade Nikolo” from Hofer and the “Schönenberger Santa Claus in a starry dress” from denn's . They carry the organic and the Fairtrade seal of approval and are therefore “the most compatible from both a social and an ecological point of view”.
The developments in the middle of the rated Santa Clauses also made a positive impression. At least a third of the total chocolate figures assessed show either social or environmental standards in chocolate production. According to the testers, however, many well-known branded products failed!
The bottom of the sustainability rating were the Santa Clauses from the well-known large manufacturers Milka (“Milka-Nikolo”), Lindt (“Lindt Santa Claus”), Hauswirth (“Hauswirth Nikolo”) and children (“Kinder Schokoweihnachtsmann”). The Nestlé Group attracts attention negatively with two products. The “KitKat Santa Claus” and the “Smarties Santa Claus” were also rated red from a social and ecological point of view. This is due to the lack of independent certifications, as Angelika Derfler from Südwind explains.
According to her, cocoa cultivation has many facets. Chocolate can also be produced sustainably in smallholder structures with fair working conditions, reasonable pay and ecological guidelines. In conventional cocoa cultivation – which was rated red in the check – however, there is often extreme exploitation of humans and nature. Derfler continues: “We assume that Corona will further worsen the already precarious working conditions and the already meager pay in conventional companies. An increase in child labor is also to be feared.”
“Uncertified chocolate products that are produced conventionally often cause environmental pollution and environmental degradation. In cocoa cultivation, for example, pesticides that are harmful to the environment and health are often used. Many of them are so dangerous that their use has long been banned in Europe “, adds Martin Wildenberg, sustainability expert at Global 2000.
In conclusion, Derfler and Wildenberg state: “Anyone who wants a socially and ecologically fair Nicholas Festival is well advised with our green-rated products. You can be sure that producers are fairly paid here, no children are exploited and the environment is not poisoned . “
