"Bittersweet: Sustainability issues in the sugar cane supply chain"

A case study of sugar production in Malawi, the centrepiece of this report, unearths and details many of these labour rights violations as well as land grab. For instance, at Illovo Sugar Malawi, the only sugar producing company in Malawi, there is evidence of increasing casualisation of the workforce. This means that, compared to workers that are on Illovo’s pay roll, agency workers have lower wages (often below the minimum wage), no job security, are more exposed to unsafe situations, are generally not represented by trade unions and are not entitled to a range of benefits such as free medical care and accommodation. The company is also accused of land grab by a community neighbouring one of its two plantations in the country