The hidden, anti-LGBTQ+ reason that could punch $120 billion chocolate industry

[Jessica_Rose]

The hidden, anti-LGBTQ+ reason that could punch a hole in the $120 billion chocolate industry

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/the-hidden-anti-lgbtq-reason-that-could-punch-a-hole-in-the-120-billion-chocolate-industry/ar-BB1keG4E?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=cf56a89ff2dc42449f5ea25b6c2911e9&ei=26

Story by Amanda Gerut (20 March 2024)

Pending legislation in West Africa that would punish LGBTQ+ relationships with jail time has drawn an international spotlight for its extremism, but major players in the $119 billion global chocolate market that are reliant on the flow of cocoa beans from the region have been silent on the potential bill's human-rights abuses. 

Chocolate makers have signed various codes of conduct and codes of ethics for themselves and their suppliers in recent years in response to criticism over human rights concerns in the chocolate supply chain—including child labor and unpaid labor. The codes call for companies to use their leverage to prevent discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation—but since Ghana's parliament last month passed a stringent anti-LGBTQ+ bill, these companies have stayed silent.

"Chocolatiers' influence in Ghana is huge," said Houdart, former human rights officer at the UN who coauthored and led the UN Global LGBTQ+ standards of conduct for business.