Pono Cocoa, Again? | #PSC 189
OVERVIEW: Episode 189 of #PodSaveChocolate takes another look at Pono Cocoa: a deep-ish dive into what has (and hasn’t) changed since the last time I took a look in 2022. (TL;DR – there has been *some* movement, but not the necessary improvement, in my opinion.)
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Episode 189 Overview
In this episode, I will take another look at the efforts of Pono Cocoa, a non-profit organization dedicated to eradicating illegal child slavery in cocoa.
Context: Pono is a Hawai’ian word commonly rendered as "righteousness," but it encompasses broader meanings such as goodness, morality, and living in harmony with others and the environment. It reflects a way of being that emphasizes balance, integrity, and doing what is right for oneself and the community.
I haven’t thought about Pono Cocoa in quite a while, but I got a notification on my phone so I decided to find out what they were up to, now.
[TL]: The Tiktok notification I received. [TR]: From the Pono Cocoa Facebook page. [BL]: Instagram. [BR]: LinkedIn.
Pono Cocoa first caught my eye in June 2021. If I recall correctly, it had something to do with the Tony’s Chocolonely getting booted (on February 15th, 2021) from Slave Free Chocolate’s list of approved makers kerfuffle. I wrote my first article about Pono Cocoa in early July. I followed that article up about fifteen months later.
I am going to do a quick summary of my observations in the following two posts. That will be followed by comparing those thoughts against the current state of the website and updates to the business affairs of the organization.
Clay Gordon
Published July 6th, 2021
Clay Gordon
Published October 1st, 2022
While I am using Pono Cocoa as an example, it is just one example. I can (and will) make some of the same observations about the Slave Free Chocolate list.
My goal here is to provide tools to help you evaluate what is being claimed. It is not to cast aspersions at the people involved or undermine their efforts.
I am in broad agreement with the goals of both Pono Cocoa and Slave Free Chocolate, and I want them to succeed.
However ... I have questions about both efforts’ claims and processes, but I will be focusing most of my attention in this episode on Pono Cocoa’s current claims as can be seen on their website.
What’s wrong with these lists?
Another particular area I will be addressing is legal threats against me by one of the founders of Pono Cocoa.
Resources
Hawaii Business Express Registration Information page. IRS 501(c)(3) Final Letter
The Instagram account claims they are a “Certified Human Rights Consultant.” This is a non‑licensed, training-based credential offered by private organizations (most prominently the US Institute of Diplomacy and Human Rights, USIDHR), not a government-regulated professional license like “attorney” or “social worker.”
Home
Accessed March 14th, 2026
Future Episodes
A conversation with Shawn Askinosie on the 20th anniversary of our first bean sourcing trip (to Mexico and Venezuela).
Episode Hashtags and Social Media Links
#PonoCocoa Instagram
#SlaveFreeChocolate Instagram
#cocoa #cacao #cacau
#chocolate #chocolat #craftchocolate
#PodSaveChoc #PSC
#LaVidaCocoa #TheChocolateLife
#PodSaveChocolate and #TheChocolateLifeLIVE Archives
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Clay Gordon
Clay Gordon
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