Love in Action: Sustainable and Ethical Gift Guide
Adapted from Diane Osgood’s Love In Action: Sustainable and Ethical Gift Guide for Conscientious Hearts (see below) author of Your Shopping Superpower
Valentine’s Day is all about showing love but sometimes the gifts we buy come with hidden stories we’d never want attached to the people we care about. Across the world, modern slavery is still found in the supply chains of chocolate, flowers, jewellery, clothing and cute little impulse buys.
The good news? With a few simple switches, Aussies can celebrate love and uphold the dignity of workers everywhere.
1. Choose Chocolate That’s Sweet for Everyone
Chocolate has one of the highest modern slavery risks of any Valentine’s gift. Child labour and poverty‑level farmer incomes are still widespread in West Africa, where most of the world’s cocoa comes from.
Easy swaps:
Look for brands rated well on the Chocolate Scorecard. There’s lots of supermarket brands on the Chocolate Scorecard
Support small Aussie bean‑to‑bar makers who publicly share where their cocoa comes from
2. Rethink Roses: Beautiful, But Often Not Innocent
Australia imported 13 million rose stems for Valentine’s Day last year, many grown under conditions with a higher risk of labour exploitation. And because imported flowers don’t require a chemical manifest, no one knows which pesticides or herbicides are on them.
The simplest fix? Buy local with the shortest supply chain possible. Choose Australian‑grown flowers, ideally seasonal and native. They’re beautiful, fresher, safer, and far more ethical than long‑haul roses with murky origins.
3. Ask Questions at the Jewellery Counter
Jewellery sourcing can involve unsafe mining conditions, child labour and exploitation.
Choose, recycled, lab-grown gems and purchase from jewellers who can clearly explain their supply chains. A quick conversation with your jeweller can make your gift far more ethical.
4. If It Feels Cheap… Someone Else May Be Paying the Price
When something feels “too cheap,” it often means costs were pushed down the supply chain — usually onto workers. One thoughtful, ethical gift beats a handful of cheap ones every time.
Let Love Bloom — Without the Harm
This Valentine’s Day, choosing local, seasonal, and slavery‑free gifts makes your gesture of love kinder for everyone involved — including the people who helped create it.
For more ideas, check out Diane Osgood’s Love In Action gift Guide below!