There is evidence of human rights abuses in the production process of certain raw ingredients that are ultimately used to make ice cream in Finland, according to corporate responsibility watchdog Finnwatch.
These abuses include the use of forced labour in the procurement of sugar in Brazil, as well as low wages and child labour associated with the production of vanilla in Madagascar.
Other ice cream ingredients with potentially unethical production backgrounds include palm oil, cocoa and tropical fruits.
Finnwatch surveyed seven ice cream manufacturers in Finland, and discovered that some of them do not have full oversight over their production chains, nor do all of the companies place social responsibility obligations on their suppliers.
The companies that responded to Finnwatch's survey were Valio, Fazer (which includes both the Fazer and Yosa brands), Froneri Finland, (producer of the Pingviini or Penguin brand), Danone (the Alpro ice cream producer), as well as Jymy, Kolme Kaveria and Oatly.
There were a number of ice cream brands operating in Finland that did not respond to Finnwatch's survey, including General Mills, which represents Häegen-Dazs in Finland, and Unilever, which owns the Ben & Jerry's and Ingman brands. Both companies cited timetable pressures as the reason for their lack of response, Finnwatch said.
The Finnwatch survey concentrated on ice-cream sold in Finland in half-litre containers.
Shortcomings in accountability
Two of the seven companies that responded to the survey, Froneri Finland and Valio, admitted that control over the production chain only extended as far as their first-tier suppliers.
In general, Finnish manufacturers rely on direct suppliers to address any human rights issues relating to the production process, and do not consistently demand accountability for the potential human rights risks in the production of raw materials.
Four of the companies, Danone, Fazer, Jymy and Oatly, did exert more control over the raw materials production process, but Finnwatch's assessment however found that supervision was not always comprehensive.
Kolme Kaveria and Jymy revealed that they did not impose any social responsibility obligations on their suppliers, even though both companies reported choosing their suppliers based on factors related to ethics and social responsibility.
However, both Kolme Kaveria and Jymy provided Finnwatch with comprehensive information on the origin of the potentially risky raw materials in their supply chains.
Scarce information available on thickening agents
Of the seven companies, only Valio and Froneri Finland identified thickening agents used in the manufacture of ice cream as having potential human rights issues in the production process.
Thickening agents are used to increase the density of food without altering its taste.
According to Finnwatch, the production of these thickening agents may also involve significant human rights abuses.