Examining Child Labor & Worker Exploitation in the Worldwide Coffee Industry
Fri Oct 10 2025
"Coffee Watch" serves as an international non profit and watchdog organization that has eyes all over the globe. Executive Director Etelle Higonnet joins the podcast to discuss how they're protecting workers throughout the coffee industry and ensure companies aren't utilizing slave labor or child labor.
The international watchdog group also focuses on putting a stop to worldwide deforestation.
Coffee is one of the top six drivers of worldwide deforestation as some of the coffee capitals in the world include countries with dense forests such as Brazil, Colombia, Vietnam and Ethiopia.
Worker exploitation is also a MAJOR issue in coffee producing countries. Some major coffee giants such as Starbucks, Nestle, Dunkin, and McDonald’s get their beans from these countries that in many cases involve slave labor and a gross use of human exploitation.
Coffee Watch is the #1 coffee industry watchdog organization in the world overseeing a 223 billion dollar a year industry involving over 100 million farm workers worldwide. Take a listen!
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"Coffee Watch" serves as an international non profit and watchdog organization that has eyes all over the globe. Executive Director Etelle Higonnet joins the podcast to discuss how they're protecting workers throughout the coffee industry and ensure companies aren't utilizing slave labor or child labor. The international watchdog group also focuses on putting a stop to worldwide deforestation. Coffee is one of the top six drivers of worldwide deforestation as some of the coffee capitals in the world include countries with dense forests such as Brazil, Colombia, Vietnam and Ethiopia. Worker exploitation is also a MAJOR issue in coffee producing countries. Some major coffee giants such as Starbucks, Nestle, Dunkin, and McDonald’s get their beans from these countries that in many cases involve slave labor and a gross use of human exploitation. Coffee Watch is the #1 coffee industry watchdog organization in the world overseeing a 223 billion dollar a year industry involving over 100 million farm workers worldwide. Take a listen!