Actor George Clooney – Sarah Stewart / Starface
The “ethical” aspect of Nespresso took a huge hit following the broadcast of the program Dispatches, which will air on Channel 4 in the UK next week. The investigation reveals that certain coffee farms in Guatemala where the brand is supplied use child labor. The reaction of George Clooney, the face of the company for 14 years, was quick.
“Having grown up on a tobacco farm since I was 12 years old, I am well aware of the complex problem of the work of children in agriculture. This is why I joined the Nespresso Sustainability Advisory Board seven years ago, alongside the Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade International and the Fair Labor Association, among others, with the goal of improving the farmers’ lives, “said the actor Wrestling 22 in a press release relayed by The Guardian. Before becoming an actor and then a director, George Clooney worked on the family farm in Kentucky during the school holidays.
He continues in his press release: “The simple truth is that this program is extremely positive for coffee producers around the world. With this in mind, it is also imperative that talented investigative journalists show the board where they still have to succeed. We knew it was a big project when it started seven years ago, and honestly I was surprised and saddened to see this story. Clearly, this board of directors and this company still have work to do. And this work will be done. I hope this reporter will continue to investigate these conditions and report accurately if they do not improve. “
Internal investigation
George Clooney also sits on the Nespresso Sustainable Development Advisory Committee alongside associations
Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade International. He praised the work of investigative journalists. “Auditing and corporate responsibility is not only the business itself, but also independent journalists like (Anthony) Barnett (the reporter for Dispatches) so that everyone’s promises can be kept, “added the actor.
For its part, Nespresso, which belongs to the Nestlé group, claims to have stopped all negotiations with the farms involved and launched an internal investigation.
Nespresso has a zero tolerance stance on child labor, and we take these allegations extremely seriously. We are proud of our Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality ™ Program that tackles these issues head on. Please find our official statement here: https://t.co/qVt6fAnawG
– Nespresso Global (@Nespresso) February 26, 2020
“Any problems we discover will be dealt with on the spot and firm action will be taken. We are working with the Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade International to strengthen good work practices and fair treatment of workers, which includes education on the dangers of child labor. We will continue to do everything in our power to eradicate child labor. It has no place with our suppliers, “we can read.
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