Wednesday 20 January, 2010

Economy
World
UK

By Charles and Linda Gardner

Cadbury’s acceptance of the 11-plus billion pound takeover bid by American food giant Kraft is sad, particularly for the English workers whose jobs are now in jeopardy – but also because another great British company has sold out to a foreign concern, with the inevitable repercussions that will have on the UK economy.

Even worse, it marks a further erosion of the influence of Christian values in business – for Cadbury’s, along with their later rivals Rowntrees and Fry’s – were all built on a solid Christian foundation so that you might well say they were Chocolate Christians.

It wasn’t just that their beliefs affected their personal lives; they also dictated their business principles, so much so that they carried out Jesus’ command to ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’. Their faith taught them both respect and responsibility, to act selflessly and consider others first.

Bourneville chocolate, Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, chocolate fingers or buttons, Cadbury’s Crème Egg or a sachet of drinking chocolate – there’s so much taste to the famous name.

Nearly 200 years ago (in 1824) when John Cadbury founded Cadbury’s (a grocer’s shop in Bull Street, Birmingham), no-one knew how to make a solid bar of chocolate! But he sold tea and coffee, eleven sorts of cocoa and 16 different drinking chocolates – it would have been like going into Starbuck’s or a Costa coffee shop today.

John Cadbury finally introduced a solid chocolate in 1849, and the sale of this new bar of eating confectionery made him wealthy.

But as Quaker Christians, they believed this money should be used to make a difference in the world.

So they looked after their workers, who had good conditions including sports facilities, medical care and pensions.

In 1878 they built a factory at Bourneville, four miles outside the centre of Birmingham, where they also built new housing for their workers.

The new homes were light, airy and had plenty of room ­– they were five-star in fact – each house having a large garden so they could grow fruit and vegetables with additional space for children to play. And there was fresh water along with good toilets and drains.

Today Cadbury’s are helping to give fresh water to the people of Ghana, because that is where the cocoa beans are grown. They are treating the people with whom they work with care and respect despite employing 45,000 people in 60 countries.

Joseph and Henry Rowntree also cared for their workers in York. Free education was provided for workers under 17 while both a doctor and dentist were employed to provide free services.

Quakers were Christians who believed in a simple way of life and the following are some of their beliefs about running a business:

1. Christian values are important in business
   
2. Treat the people with whom you work with care and respect
   
3. Always be honest
   
4. Think about the good of others
   
5. Go for high quality
   
6. Business is work to be proud of
   
7. Do not make money from dishonesty
   
8. Do not make money in a way that harms others
   
9. Pay a fair price to the producer
   
10. Ask a fair price for the product
    
11. Money made is to be used for others
    
12. Treat workers well
    

Let’s hope Kraft continue their good work.

Photo: Luke Wilson Photography