How far does Chipotle's 'integrity' reach?

Chipotle prides themselves as “purveyors of food with integrity”, yet new evidence has come to light that proves otherwise.  A new ethical issue has arisen in the restaurant industry as farms are employing illegal workers to produce food for some so-called ethical companies.  Recently the Department of Justice officials unveiled an indictment for the eighth time in over ten years over “forced labor in Florida’s agricultural fields”.   According to the federal court, three labor bosses have hired dozens of illegal Haitian workers with the “promise” of access to their passports and they were forced to work and live in horrible conditions, constantly threatened with deportation.  

A Florida-based farmworker association,The Coalition of Immokalee Workers, is pioneering the movement to end “modern-day agricultural slavery”.  The CIW’s goal is to “train local, state and federal law enforcement to investigate, uncover and prosecute existing slavery operations, in addition to working to eliminate the root causes of the problem: farmworkers' structural powerlessness and grinding poverty”.  They were also recognized by Secretary Clinton, for its persistence and innovations in the battle against human trafficking, who said stopping slavery is more than a one person job and we have to act against it.  

Chipotle is a respected brand due to its quick growth and mission statement of “Food with integrity is our commitment to finding the very best ingredients raised with respect for the animals, the environment and the farmers”.  Yet the company is unwillingly to help to fix the abuse of Florida’s agricultural workers as they have opted for a solo approach that encourages oversight of farm work.  Chipotle has outwardly acted against the ethical standards that have commercialized and encouraged the success of their company.  

Their stance exemplifies the “reckless disregard” that Secretary Clinton has criticized in the modern fight against slavery.  This is a risky move for a company that primes themselves on “ethically produced” burritos.  Their behavior is in direct conflict with their mission statement and I believe when this information comes to light people will think more carefully about how the food they are putting into their systems was produced. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sean-sellers/chipotle-farmworkers-integrity_b_712007.html