By Rising authoritarianism is eroding basic democratic principles and human rights around the world. One powerful group of stakeholders, corporations, has a clear responsibility to fight back, but many are just standing around twiddling their thumbs.
One case in point is Mondelēz International, the $87 billion snacking giant behind Oreo cookies. Mondelēz has a glossy human rights policy, yet it routinely receives the lowest scores on our yearly deforestation and human rights scorecard.
In part, it’s because Mondelēz lacks a zero-tolerance policy safeguarding human rights defenders—the activists fighting to make human rights a reality around the world.
Defenders are an integral part of advancing human rights globally, especially in places that lack strong enforcement mechanisms. They’re a diverse group of people combating discrimination, labor abuses, environmental exploitation, and more.
Sadly, they’re the frequent target of attacks. Land and environmental defenders face heavy persecution, in particular: In 2023, three people were killed every week for speaking out against things like pollution, deforestation, and extractive industries.
Agribusinesses, including soy, cacao, and palm oil producers—major Mondelēz snack ingredients—are among the top culprits behind these attacks against defenders.
Unfortunately, Mondelēz hasn’t committed to a zero-tolerance policy against such attacks. A truly unconscionable choice as the assault on human rights intensifies, both at home and abroad.
