The company says it has stopped purchases from the region and is investigating, according to the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
The documentary by Britain’s Channel 4 News shows children working on six farms in Guatemala, the largest coffee producer in Central America. The farms allegedly supply to Nestlé-owned coffee giant Nespresso.
Nespresso, headquartered in Switzerland, says it sources all its coffee beans ethically and that it is investigating the allegations.
“We have immediately stopped purchases of coffee from all farms in the region and we will not resume purchases until we are able to investigate and be assured that child labour is not being used,” said Nespresso chief executive Guillaume Le Cunff.
Oscar-winning actor George Clooney, who is brand ambassador for Nespresso, has said that he is “surprised and saddened” by the revelations.
“Clearly this board and this company still have work to do. And that work will be done,” Clooney said in a statement.
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Nestlé identifies over 18,000 child labourers in cocoa supply chain
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The Swiss multinational Nestlé has identified 18,283 children performing “unacceptable” tasks at cocoa farms that supply beans to the company.
High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
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The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.
Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus
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Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.
Swiss martyr beatified in Barcelona by Catholic Church
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François-Benjamin May (1870-1909), a member of the Marist Brothers congregation, has been recognised as a 'blessed' by the Catholic Church.
Prevention and tech could help save billions on Swiss healthcare costs, says Deloitte
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By focusing on prevention and technology, it would be possible to reduce Switzerland's healthcare bill by CHF30 billion a year by 2040, according to Deloitte Switzerland.
Environment director warns of increasing climate-related risks in Switzerland
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The director of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) has warned of increasing climate-related risks in Switzerland in an interview with SonntagsBlick on Sunday.
Gotthard traffic queue hits 11km at start of holiday season
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The start of the summer holidays saw a long traffic jam in front of the Gotthard tunnel on Saturday. Traffic jams between Erstfeld and Göschenen in canton Uri were up to 11 kilometres long early in the morning.
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Nestlé criticised over migrant palm oil workers in Malaysia
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A Swiss NGO has criticised food giant Nestlé for buying palm oil from Malaysian suppliers who it claims exploit plantation workers.
Sustainable Swiss businesses, politics and the ‘Greta Effect’
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How serious are businesses and institutions about environmental and social issues? Sustainability expert Gretel Gambarelli gives her insights.
How easy is it to hold Swiss companies to account abroad?
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Swiss citizens may soon vote on whether to make companies liable for their actions abroad. Three stories show the challenges of getting justice.
Rolex and Chopard slammed for opacity in gold and diamond sourcing
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Human Rights Watch has criticised Swiss firms Rolex and Chopard for lack of sufficient publicly available information on their gold and diamond supply chains and human rights due diligence. In a 99-page reportExternal link released on Wednesday, Human Rights Watch rated Chopard “weak” and chastised Rolex for complete non-disclosure among 13 major firms in the…
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.