The majority of tea consumed around the world is purchased from tea auctions. If not managed properly,
tea supply chains can become complex and less transparent, which can potentially lead to negative environmental and social impacts.
We don’t just believe that single origin and single garden teas taste better. We go direct to source to get them. Cutting out the middlemen in this way encourages transparency by increasing traceability. It also helps us to build strong relationships with producers, so we can better support them and their communities. We back this up with stringent responsible procurement processes, applicable to all of our suppliers.
Directly Sourced, Traceable Tea
We will continue to pioneer a sustainable future for tea by driving
consumer demand for quality, by directly sourcing single garden,
single origin fully traceable tea.
Our Goals and Commitments:
Directly Sourced, Traceable Tea
- 100% traceability for our whole range by 2025.
- Single garden/single origin teas should make up at least 95% of our range.
- Set a direct sourcing target for our range during 2025.
Consumer Awareness
- 100% of single garden teas will have the garden name on pack and on the
website by 2025.
Responsible Procurement
- 100% of supply chain signed up to new Responsible Sourcing Code Of
Conduct by 2025. - 100% of tier 1 tea, herb packaging and teaware suppliers passing our new
SAQ assessment by 2028.
Paying a Fair Price
We source the highest quality teas from the best producers we
know and pay the high prices their quality commands. By cutting
out the middlemen, our model enables more of the money to go
directly to tea makers and their communities.
We are a Living Wage certified employer for our own UK
operations. We are working with the ETP and wider industry to
establish a living wage throughout the tea supply chain.
Our Goals and Commitments:
Ensuring that all direct producers and their workers in our tea & herbal supply
chain earn at least a living wage or income. (The target relates to our organisation
playing its part by doing/paying additional to cover our part of the living wage/
income gap based on the volume we purchase from the producer)
Empowering Our Producers & Their Communities
We're committed to building strong relationships with our
producers, and engaging with them and their communities on
tackling societal and environmental issues that are important to
both them and us.
Our Goals and Commitments:
Our Producers
Defining supplier engagement programme and associated goals
by 2025.
Supporting Communities
Support 2 community projects in our key sourcing regions by 2025.
Championing Regenerative Farming
A few years ago, we decided to source organic teas and herbals
wherever possible. Sustainable practices such as organic and
regenerative farming can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and
make tea gardens more resilient to climate change. We have also
noticed that they tend to go hand in hand with better tasting tea.
Prioritising teas grown in this way also reduces the carbon
emissions associated with our tea as 75% of carbon emissions in
tea production are from chemical fertilizers.
We take a dual stamp approach, meaning our teas are either Soil
Association Certified Organic or JING stamp ‘Made Without
Pesticides’.
Our Goals and Commitments:
Continue the roll out of both Soil Association Certified Organic and JING stamp
“Made Without Pesticides.”
80% of our range to have one of these stamps by the end of 2024.
2024 Sustainability Report
For progress on our goals and commitments.