THE NEWSLETTER FROM THE ETHICAL PARTNERSHIP FOR TEA PRODUCERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS

2007 - Issue 4

Welcome to ETP appoints new Director the Ethical Tea ETP Executive Director Dr. Gavin Bailey has left to take up a post in the commercial sector. We wish him well and Partnership’s fourth welcome Dr. Norman Kelly, who joins us from Tea where he was Newsletter with an Operations & Development Director. Dr. Kelly’s career began in agriculture and update on our recent he joined Unilever management in 1979, holding a number of UK-based roles in Agribusiness, R&D and Agri-products activities. Inside this sourcing. He then moved to Unilever Plantations and Plant Science Group as issue: new people join R&D Director (PBI) and also as Director of the International Liaison Group, supplying the team; more about specialist Agronomic advice and support to several Unilever Categories and Business Tanzania); in 2004 he moved groups. He was a founding member to Kenya as Operations & Development our new monitoring of the Unilever Sustainable Agriculture Director for Unilever Tea Kenya, covering Steering Group. the four Kericho Business Units as well as R&D, Supply Chain, SHE and QA for standard, being rolled In 1998 Norman Kelly became Managing Unilever Tea East Africa. Norman is married out later this year, Director of Unilever Tea Tanzania (formerly with two grown-up children. and a look at what’s Michael Pennant-Jones has represented New Finlays on ETP for the last two years. He happening in our has worked in tea for ten years, notably with Premier Beverages where he ran their engagement Management suppliers Quality Assurance Programme (QAP). He joined Finlays in 2005, to look at social and environmental performance programme. Don’t Appointments throughout the group. For Finlay Beverages his remit includes managing supply chain forget to keep an eye Every other year ETP Members elect a standards in tea and coffee. new Chairman and Deputy Chairman. Rupert Byerley, Twinings’ International Tea “In the last two years, ETP has grown on our website for the and Herb Manager has just been elected the breadth of its activities significantly ETP’s Chairman, taking over from Katy launching its monitoring program in new latest developments. Tubb, Tea Buying Director of . Joining countries and appointing regional managers Rupert as ETP’s new Deputy Chairman is in East Africa, and China,” says Finlays’ Corporate Social Rupert. “The pace of change is sure to Responsibility Manager continue as we embed our programme ETP’s Monitoring Progress Michael Pennant-Jones. in-country and communicate the benefits to key stakeholders and consumers. I look Both Rupert and Michael are forward to working ETP is now active in 12 regions that produce over well known in the tea trade. with you all to make 85% of world tea exports Rupert began his career in ETP even more of a tea when he joined Tetley in success.” 1988 to train as a tea buyer. Kerala Tamil Nadu Assam From 1999-2003 he worked 7 sites 19 sites 192 sites monitored monitored monitored in with Bell Tea as Buying and CHINA Blending Manager and Engagement returned to the UK in KENYA started mid 06 88 sites 2003 to join Twinings. monitored Rupert has been BRAZIL 50 sites Twinings’ ETP member 4 sites monitored representative since monitored 2003 and for ARGENTINA TANZANIA SRI LANKA the last year 8 sites 14 sites 257 sites monitored monitored has been monitored ETP’s Deputy ZIMBABWE MALAWI Chairman. 10 sites 22 sites monitored monitored Michael Pennant Jones with Rupert Byerley Launch of the new ETP Standard

As you’ll know from our last Newsletter, (for example education, healthcare) and over the last six months ETP has been encourages monitors to report good piloting a new Global ETP Standard that practice. Between each cycle of monitoring involves a different approach to monitoring. ETP will maintain a dialogue with tea Later this year, the Standard and its new producers to ensure there is a plan of approach will be rolled out to all estates remediation with follow up visits to check taking part in the ETP initiative. that any non-conformances identified have been addressed. “While in the past producers were monitored against New ‘monitoring country law, ILO Core guidelines’ have Conventions and Trade also been created Union agreements, the which set out ETP’s new monitoring process expectations in centres around a global how monitoring Standard, delivering a visits should be Dushy Perera, ETP’s Sri Lankan Regional Manager and robust, effective and conducted. They Joseph Wagurah, East African Regional Manager, taste tea consistent process no focus monitors’ at a leading tea brokers in Colombo matter where in the world it attention on is applied,” explains ETP’s issues directly participatory techniques allows monitors to Operations Manager Julia impacting worker get a more complete picture of the situation Kilbourne. rights on tea at production sites and to understand how producing sites they can assist producers to improve,” The new Standard and encourage adds Julia. incorporates the Ethical working more Trading Initiative (ETI) Base closely with East African Regional Manager Joseph Code (based on international producers to help Wagurah shadowed both rounds of pilots. standards) and is supported them understand “East African producers have welcomed and enriched in each country how they can the new approach considering that it by national law and collective gradually make involves more of the workers and the bargaining agreements which improvements management,” he says. “The clauses of are relevant to worker rights. rather than the code are clearer, which has ended just identifying some of the debate prevalent in the law The Standard also covers where there based approach. One producer was heard welfare provision may be saying - “Lawyers do not agree on the problems. In-depth interviews interpretation of the law, who are we to with both management and workers are agree?” In addition, undue attention to also a key part of the new guidelines. low priority issues in the previous law- based approach has been distracting A booklet containing a full description of the producers from the important issues. The new ETP monitoring process and its stages new Standard focuses on issues that are is being sent to all producers working with important to workers, producers, buyers ETP. It can also be downloaded on our and consumers and raises concrete issues website, www.ethicalteapartnership.org. whose implementation will mean better performance of the factory/estates.” Producer feedback has “The new approach also aims at training played a key part producers to help them meet the set ‘Feedback from producers has been a vital requirements of the Standard. This kind element in developing the new standard,” of remediation assistance will make adds Julia Kilbourne. “It’s also been very tea estates feel accompanied in the positive: almost all the producers involved journey to meet market requirements and in our pilots reported that they preferred encourage them to invest in ETP Standard the new approach. Finding solutions rather conformance. This in turn opens the than focusing purely on non-conformances doors for their tea in those markets where was very much welcomed and producers consumers demand ethical assurance for particularly liked the fact that they were able the tea they buy.” to discuss actions on non-conformance and areas that required improvement”. ETP will be closely following the progress of monitoring visits and the content of the new “Involving workers more directly and Standard and will continue to develop both more often in the monitoring process via aspects in the next year.

East African Regional Manager Joseph Wagurah was one of the speakers at the recent Sri Lankan Tea Convention in Colombo. The theme of this year’s Convention was “Sustainabilitea”; strategic corporate social responsibility Joseph Wagurah introduces the new Standard was one of the key issues being Regional Manager Dushy Perera, explained discussed. Wagurah how it will be rolled out to tea producers in introduced the new ETP Sri Lanka through ‘Producer Working Groups’, Standard-based monitoring, which will act as a focus for discussion and and, along with ETP’s Sri Lankan feedback between ETP and producers. “Our aim will be to share ETP’s extensive ETP’s China experience in other countries with China’s tea producers but we need to set up a feasible and constructive programme that engagement suits the complexity and uniqueness of the China tea sector,” he explains. “What we programme want to do is work together with producers to improve the profile of ETP members’ supply chains. It is very important to show the end begins consumer that ETP members sourcing in China is done in a socially responsible way.” Since he joined the Partnership in April “When we carry out visits to tea producers, 2007, Regional Manager Hubert Chen has we introduce ETP’s new Standard and been busy preparing to implement ETP’s explain why it is important to follow it. The engagement programme in China, helping Standard provides a solid framework for tea producers meet the needs of key export producers’ efforts to develop sustainable markets. solutions and systems supporting both ETP principles and Chinese laws. It represents a Hubert Chen is ETP’s Regional Manager To prepare the ground, Hubert has been great opportunity for producers to improve responsible for China, Taiwan and Vietnam. visiting tea estates and factories that exports: by engaging with ETP’s sector- He is based in Guangzhou, China. Hubert supply ETP members, seeing the vast wide initiative, tea producers in China can joined ETP in Spring 2007 from the tobacco number and different sizes and scales develop closer contacts with overseas sector where he was responsible for leaf of production and processing, and markets and follow the trend of consumer agronomy, good agricultural practice and interviewing many different producers preference on buying tea.” social responsibility programs of a major to understand how they organise their tobacco leaf merchant. operations, from plucking to final product. “Applying the ETP Standard is based on a continuous improvement model and initial visits and communication with tea producers has told us that we should start Regional Manager with Health & Safety issues,” continues Hubert. “For those gardens and processing Network - Update factories in rural areas, worker health and safety is an issue that is more likely to be ignored or insufficient attention paid ETP’s network of Regional Managers (RM) to it. But it is important: in the long term, will expand further this Autumn with the without offering decent working conditions appointment of our fourth RM to cover to workers and farmers, the steady India. By the end of the year we hope to development of the tea sector can not be have in place our fifth RM who will cover guaranteed.” Indonesia and Papua New Guinea and in 2008 we will be appointing a Regional “Part of our engagement programme will be Manager for Latin America. If you are to offer practical support, which will include interested in applying for these posts please training for producers, appropriate to the contact Julia Kilbourne. size, technical level and management ability. Our aim is to help producers develop tailor- In early 2008, ETP will be holding a Regional made solutions to any non-conformances Manager ‘Summit’ in Kenya; the opportunity that exist. We need to take an approach for its Regional Managers to meet, that is appropriate to China to encourage exchange ideas and experiences and share and support openness, trust, mutual benefit training that will directly benefit producers. and realistic improvement from the start.” “The Regional Manager programme has paid dividends in enabling and adding value Hubert is also planning the first ETP health to ETP’s coverage and impact across the and safety seminar in Hunan Province, to globe and as we roll out the new Standard which producers who supply ETP members and monitoring approach, the RMs will will be invited. “We will be looking at current be instrumental in promoting a better health and safety issues and providing understanding of ETP and how it is evolving practical guidance on how these can be as well as delivering practical solutions to addressed.” complex and sensitive issues,” says Julia. members ETP’s International Membership Grows

Four tea companies have recently joined discoveries; Newby , an established of living and a working environment that ETP, taking the total number of members to international with a strong reputation practices safety, sanitation and healthy 22, representing over 60 of tea sold for producing the finest premium grade practices. In joining the ETP we are able to in 40+ countries. teas, and finally TEAZ Tea Company, well achieve our objectives.” known in Canada under the TEAZ and The four new members are New Zealand’s Herbal Republic banners. Adds Bell Tea’s Matt Greenwood, "We are oldest tea company, Bell Tea (which also thrilled to have joined the ETP. We care very distributes Twinings teas in New Zealand); Anita Suri, president of TEAZ Tea Company much about the people who work for the Bell Jing Tea, a young, innovative tea company says, “At Teaz Tea we believe that it is our Tea Company, and it is great to extend that to run by Edward Eisler that specialises individual and corporate responsibility to the producers who grow our tea. There has in supplying some of the world’s finest be socially responsible in ensuring that we been a good deal of interest in the scheme hotels and restaurants with speciality tea assist in achieving respectable standards from our customers and our team here.” Progress on communications

ETP 2006 report gets positive review from ETI, How we did…. with more work needed Commitment ETP rated “Achiever” - actively managing its Each year, ETP submits a detailed self- assessment report to the Ethical Trading ethical trading issues. Initiative (ETI). Monitoring, independent ETP rated “Improver” - developing a “ETP has been a long-term active member of ETI and part of our commitment is verification and reporting monitoring programme and to complete a detailed report on the producing outline reports on progress. year’s activities against five principles: Commitment; Monitoring, Independent Awareness raising and ETP rated “Improver” - addressing the needs Verification and Reporting; Awareness training for training and initiating awareness raising. Raising and Training; Corrective Actions and Management Procedures, Pricing and Incentives,” says ETP’s out-going Executive Corrective actions ETP rated “Achiever” - in terms of having well- Director Gavin Bailey. established systems to follow up on corrective “The report allows ETI to monitor trends, actions made by suppliers to improve conditions assess how well its members are doing, for their workers. encourage those who do well and disengage those who are doing badly. Management procedures, ETP rated “Beginner” – having identified the Although it’s a time consuming task for us pricing and incentives key person responsible for ethical trade and now to prepare the report, doing so gives us considering wider commercial issues. the opportunity to stand back and focus on what we have achieved and where we should be doing better.” “ETI provides feedback on the information ETP appoints agency members provide, and we are pleased New that they noted that our report ‘was to help raise its profile comprehensively produced and included people join a wealth of useful detail. In some cases, Consumers’ confidence in the products they we think the comment provided supports buy is increasingly important to both retailers, a higher assessment than you have given manufacturers and producers. Barely a week goes Secretariat yourself.’ This year ETP is in the top 25% by without mainstream media and NGOs questioning As well as our new Executive of members in the food sector and this year the conditions in which products are produced or Director Norman Kelly, we was ranked no. 3 out of 12.” sourced, be it clothing from Bangladesh or toys have three new people in the from China. At ETP we believe the tea industry London office: Office Services ETP is a member has a good story to tell, and this financial year & Finance Manager Johanna of the ETI (Ethical we are committing a substantial proportion of our Segal, previously in the telecoms Trading Initiative), resources to communications, to tell our story to industry; and two new Monitoring a unique tripartite consumers, the media and key decision makers. Programme Managers, Amanda alliance of companies, In partnership with Clownfish, a London-based NGOs and trade Penn and Heleen Bulckens, both communications agency that has a strong track union organisations of whom have joined us from the that promotes corporate codes of record of communicating work on environmental and UK’s Ethical Investment Research practice covering supply chain working social issues, ETP will start to raise its profile with Services (EIRIS). Find out more conditions. For more information see key stakeholder groups and tell the story of its work about the team on our website www.ethicaltrade.org with producers around the world. Watch this space! www.ethicalteapartnership.org. ETP Secretariat:

Johanna Amanda Heleen Norman Jacqueline Penn Bulckens Kelly Brown Segal Monitoring Monitoring Executive Project Offi ce Services & Programme Programme Director Manager Finance Manager Manager Manager norman.kelly@ jacqueline.brown@ johanna.segal@ amanda.penn@ heleen.bulckens@ ethicalteapartnership.org ethicalteapartnership.org ethicalteapartnership.org ethicalteapartnership.org ethicalteapartnership.org

The views expressed in this Joseph Hubert Dushy newsletter are not necessarily those Julia Wagurah Chen Perera of ETP or its members. Kilbourne East African Chinese Sri Lankan Operations Regional Regional Regional Contact us: Manager Manager Manager Manager producers@ julia.kilbourne@ joseph.wagurah@ hubert.chen@ dushy.perera@ ethicalteapartnership.org ethicalteapartnership.org ethicalteapartnership.org ethicalteapartnership.org ethicalteapartnership.org

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