YALE AGRARIAN STUDIES SERIES James C. Scott, series editor SMART ALLIANCE How a Global Corporation and Environmental Activists Transformed a Tarnished Brand J. GARY TAYLOR PATRICIA J. SCHARLIN and Yale University Press/New Haven and London Copyright ∫ 2004 by J. Gary Taylor and Patricia J. Scharlin All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, including illustrations, in any form (beyond that copying permitted by Sections 107 and 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law and except by reviewers for the public press), without written permission from the publishers. Designed by Mary Valencia Set in Veljovic type by Keystone Typesetting, Inc. Printed in the United States of America. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Taylor, J. Gary. Smart alliance : how a global corporation and environmental activists transformed a tarnished brand / J. Gary Taylor and Patricia J. Scharlin. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. ISBN 0-300-10233-X (alk. paper) 1. Chiquita Brands International. 2. Rainforest Alliance. 3. Banana trade— Environmental aspects. I. Scharlin, Patricia J. II. Title. HD9259.B3C578 2004 338.8%8734772—dc22 2003061370 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 To our children—Geoffrey, Adam, and Joshua Taylor; Wendy Moore, Janet Solomon, and Peggy Rambach. We hope that, at last, this book will give them some idea of what we do all day. May each of them find a path in life that is as rewarding as ours has been. We also dedicate this volume in special memory of the late, gifted Luke Taylor, a sadly missed inspiration to our entire family. Song of the Banana Man by Evan Jones Tou ris, wh ite m an , wip in his fac e, Met me in Golden Grove market place. He looked at m’ol’ clothes brown wid stain, An soaked right through wid de Portlan rain, He cas his eye, turn up his nose, He says, ‘‘You’re a beggar man, I suppose?’’ He says, ‘‘Boy, get some occupation, Be of some value to your nation.’’ I said, ‘‘By God and dis big right han You mus recognize a banana man . . . ‘‘I leave m’yard early-mornin time An set m’foot to de mountain climb, I ben m’back to de hot-sun toil, An m’cutlass rings on de stony soil, Ploughin an weedin, diggin an plantin Till Massa Sun drop back o John Crow mountain, Den home again in cool evenin time, Perhaps whistling dis likkle rhyme, (Sung) Praise God an m’big right han I will live an die a banana man . . . ‘‘De bay is calm, an de moon is bright De hills look black for de sky is light, Down at de dock is an English ship, Restin after her ocean trip, While on de pier is a monstrous hustle, Tallymen, carriers, all in a bustle, Wid stems on deir heads in a long black snake Some singin de songs dat banana men make, Like, (Sung) Praise God an m’big right han I will live an die a banana man. ‘‘Den de payment comes, an we have some fun, Me, Zekiel, Breda and Duppy Son. Down at de bar near United Wharf We knock back a white rum, bus a laugh, Fill de empty bag for further toil Wid saltfish, breadfruit, coconut oil. Den head back home to m’yard to sleep, A proper sleep dat is long an deep. Yes, by God, an m’big right han I will live an die a banana man. ‘‘So when you see dese ol clothes brown wid stain, An soaked right through wid de Portlan rain, Don’t cas your eye nor turn your nose, Don’t judge a man by his patchy clothes, I’m a strong man, a proud man, an I’m free, Free as dese mountains, free as dis sea, I know myself, an I know my ways, An will sing wid pride to de end o my days (Sung) Praise God an m’big right han I will live an die a banana man.’’ (Courtesy of The Penguin Book of Caribbean Verse in English, New York ∫ 1986.) Contents Timeline x Preface xiii Abbreviations xix Introduction 1 1 Risk, Transparency, and Trust 7 2 Red, White, and Bruised 17 3 Times Change 39 4 Why Bananas and Why Chiquita? 58 5 Strange Bedfellows 72 6 Grass-Roots Snapshots 104 7 Blue Bananas 126 8 Agricultural Antagonists 136 9 ‘‘Daylight Come . . . ’’ 151 10 The Many Faces of Corporate Responsibility 172 11 Leveling the Label Field 188 12 Unfinished Business 201 viii Contents Appendixes A. Fundamental Conventions of the International Labour Organization 237 B. Chemicals Banned under the Better Banana Program 239 C. Selected Tables from Chiquita’s 2001 Corporate Responsibility Report 241 D. Sustainable Agriculture Network Members as of 2003 250 Notes 251 Selected Bibliography 267 Index 271 ix