An in-depth study exposing systemic labor abuses in Guatemala’s sugar industry, highlighting the exploitation of vulnerable workers across plantations.
This report investigates widespread risks of labor violations in Guatemala’s sugarcane sector, one of the world’s top sugar exporters. Drawing on field interviews and expert consultations, it identifies indicators of forced labor, human trafficking, and child labor, alongside wage theft, unsafe conditions, and discrimination. Workers reported excessive hours, debt bondage, and lack of access to water, healthcare, and grievance mechanisms. The report connects these findings to deeper structural issues—such as exploitative recruitment through brokers—and offers detailed recommendations for companies and government actors to protect worker rights and improve oversight.
Guatemala, Sugarcane
