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

2009 - Issue 6 The Ethical Tea Partnership evolves to maximise its impact on the global tea sector With new Executive Director process for tea estates and increase the speed Sarah Roberts at the helm, the at which tea from certifi ed producers enters Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP) the market. is evolving to maximise its “ETP collaborates with organisations that effectiveness in improving the we feel can make a real difference to the lives of tea workers with active sustainability of the tea sector,” points out ETP's new support from participating and Sarah Roberts. “This will build capacity within responsible producers, while the tea industry to tackle sustainability issues Executive Director assuring its members’ supply chains. from the grassroots upwards and through to The new approach will see the ETP build on its certifi cation. It will increase the number of Sarah Roberts, who joined the ETP long-standing estate monitoring work – which estates that implement and maintain positive in May, takes over the leadership of remains free to producers - by establishing environmental and social practices. Brands the organisation from Dr. Norman new relationships with certifi cation work together on sustainability through ETP, Kelly, who will be combining an active programmes, governments, NGOs, and other so this is a very effective way of meeting rising retirement with the important new role specialists to deliver social and environmental consumer demand for certifi ed products.” of ETP Chairman. improvements. Sarah’s career has focused on This strategic development will mean that A new monitoring standard development and corporate the ETP will no longer monitor any tea estate Underpinning the ETP’s social and responsibility, including spells with the which has achieved certifi cation status environmental improvement work is its International Institute for Environment from Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade or UTZ new monitoring standard, based on a self- and Development, the National CERTIFIED. “Avoiding duplication in this way assessment questionnaire. The new standard Centre for Business and Sustainability will reduce the audit burden on tea producers is being rolled out to all estates that supply and a number of consulting fi rms. and enable us to concentrate our resources ETP members and are not involved in any Over the past 15 years she has co- on producers that are not currently being certifi cation programmes. “The new standard ordinated and advised companies, monitored by certifi cation programmes,” says covers key elements of all the relevant government agencies and not-for- Sarah Roberts. “If an ETP member is interested certifi cation programmes, which will help ease profi t organisations on a range of in part of their supply chain becoming certifi ed the transition for any producers who become sustainability issues including labour and the tea estate is interested in certifi cation, interested in certifi cation at a later date,” Sarah conditions, climate change and the we will work with the producer and certifi cation points out. sensitive question of child labour in programme in question to achieve this as cocoa supply chains. The ETP also plans to increase its work on effi ciently as possible.” the ground with government departments, “Having worked on ethical sourcing, I NGOs, UN bodies, and technical specialists, jumped at the chance to become the New partnerships with certifi cation programmes on projects designed to help producers make ETP’s Executive Director,” said Sarah. practical and sustainable improvements. “I was particularly attracted to its focus As we went to press, the ETP announced These new capacity building partnerships will on improving conditions right across collaborative partnerships with two continue the ETP’s track record of bringing the tea sector. With 20 members all certifi cation programmes, Rainforest Alliance about improvements in a wide range of areas, committed to sourcing ethically, we and UTZ CERTIFIED, an exciting development including market access, living and working have the potential to make a difference which will help streamline the certifi cation conditions and health and safety. at scale, rather than on the margins.” SomeSo of ETP’s achievements: increasing access to water “The combination of 12 years of andan sanitation in Assam; improving health and safety monitoring and the ETP’s network of throughth tea dust control in China; generating sustainable local staff in Africa, India, Sri Lanka, changech through worker participation in Sri Lanka; China and Indonesia reducingre the potential for child labour in Malawi. Find out continually engaging with morem on our website www.ethicalteapartnership.org producers, results in an incredibly powerful mix of fi rst-hand knowledge of the situation tea producers face and the experience and relationships required to implement sustained improvements. I feel particularly lucky to be joining the ETP at this point in its evolution.” Health and safety capacity building in China

Working with Business for Unguarded machinery in a Chinese New warning stickers alert users Social Responsibility (BSR), tea factory to machine danger the ETP has developed a two day Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) training course for producers supplying ETP members. This follows ETP and BSR’s benchmarking exercise in Chinese tea factories which identifi ed health and safety as a priority. The fi rst course, supported and hosted by the Hunan Tea Company, took place in July in Changsha, Hunan Province. “It is really good support for us to get “The aim of the course, which was free systematic training like this organisedorgan by to producers supplying ETP members, is ETP. Previously we mightmight not havhave worked to minimise or even completely eliminate completelycompletely in the wawayy that ETP eexpected;x signifi cant safety hazards by supporting managers to improve their OHS capacity and after the training, we understand how to to help them understand the benefi ts to their manage Health and Safety and wew are business of investing in improvements,” says committed to being responsible forf our Regional Manager Hubert Chen. workers’ safety.”safety.” Following prior visits to the participants’ Mr.Mr XiXiangang AnA MiMing,ng, ViVicecec GenGeneraleenneraraal factories to identify examples of good and bad EngineerEngineer of YuaYuannLn LLinginingngng JiJJietanetaetatan OrganicOOrgOganiic TTeaea DevDevelopmentveleloel pmepmpmeentnt practice, the training modules and syndicate Co.CCo LtdLtd work covered laws and regulations, fi re protection and prevention, electrical safety, dust and noise protection and pesticide use. “This fi rst course was enthusiastically received, and the 21 tea company representatives who took part undertook to develop practical and realistic action plans to rectify the problems in their individual factories,” says Hubert. “ETP and BSR will monitor their progress through monthly visits and by supporting the factory management in achieving continuous improvement plans. Looking ahead, we will also explore how these training modules and supporting materials can be rolled out to benefi t other tea factories and regions.”

ETP works to remove repeated use of casual labour in Kenya

TeaTea is pproducedrod in Kenya worker is employed between set dates, alalll yeyearar rroundo and most renewable by mutual agreement at the end faffactoriescttoriei s use casual workers of the period, and paid as a permanent in additadditionio to permanent worker would be. “The difference between ststaff.aff. the two sets of employees is the period of For thethe casual worker, it’s a employment - while a permanent worker is precprecariousar existence; he or employed on a permanent basis, a seasonal she is employed on a day to day basis and worker is employed for a defi ned period if there’s no work – iiff the weather changes of time, usually the high season,” says or a mmachineachine bbreaksreaks down, for example – Wagurah. they are sent homehome without pay. Instead of “It will take time to introduce this because of being paid daily, casual workers are paid at the cost implications, but it’s worth doing. the end of the month and will only receive By doing this, producers will not only be pay for the days that have been worked, taking remedial action against their own while a permanent worker will receive a full non-conformance, but will be fulfi lling the consolidated wage regardless. Repeatedly aims of the ETP. It will boost the morale of using casual labour is against Kenyan law the seasonal employees and hence improve and is an important ETP non-conformance. labour relations and harmony in the tea It’s also a breach of standards for all of the sector.” certifi cation schemes. Not all producers need convincing. “Finlays, Joseph Wagurah, the ETP Regional one of the largest producers of tea in Kenya, Manager for Africa, is drawing on his has for a long time eliminated casual labour experience of working in the Kenyan fl ower on their estates, and introduced seasonal industry to change this practice. He has contracts for jobs that are not permanent in begun negotiating with some of the largest nature,” adds Wagurah. “The ETP has been groups of producers to persuade them working with Finlays as an example of good to adopt a seasonal contract, where the labour practices within the tea sector.” Improving sanitation and water in Assam

One of the new toilets ThanksThankks toto ththehe clcloselose woworkingrkkiing relationshiprellationshhiipp ddevelopedevelloppedd wwithith ththee IndianIIndian TTeaea AssociationAssociiation ((ITA),ITA) ththee ETETPP has almost completed its joint project to provide 150 toilets and water pumps on 10 estates in Assam. The project, which shares skills and funding between estates, the ITA and UNICEF, has been designed so that it can be easily replicated in other areas. “Augmenting sanitation and water supply is a health priority in rural India as the growing numbers of families living on estates in Assam means a continuously increasing demand for toilets and drinking water,” says Ranjan Circar, ETP Regional Collaboration Manager for India. “The opening ceremony took place in May (pictured below) and all the work should be with Rainforest completed by the end of August. The ETP has helped bring about positive change to sanitation and water Alliance starts supplies to these tea gardens”. in India In September, the ETP and the Rainforest Alliance (RA) have organised a two-day course in Kolkata during which RA staff will train ETP’s London-based Monitoring Programme Managers and all of the ETP Regional Managers on the RA certifi cation process and principles. This will be followed by a joint monitoring visit to three estates in Assam. Ian Brabbin (Head of Tea Buying) and Cristina Talens (Ethical Trading Manager) of Bettys & Taylors will be shadowing the visits. Water pumps mean ffun as well as improved health ETP standard successfully piloted in Sri Lanka

This spring, 10 Sri Lankan waste management projects under way. The estates successfully piloted SAQ’s environmental section allows them the new self-assessment to identify and gain credit for what they are questionnaire (SAQ) for the doing.” new standard. “Thanks to our joint project with CARE “The estates and factories International, we were also able to address selected represented a one of our self-assessment pilots through real cross-section of the Sri Lankan tea the Community Development Forum (CDF), industry: large and small; private, state- or established on Bogawana Estate. This is a company-owned; some that had been mini-parliament which represents a complete monitored before; and some that had cross-section of the estate, including not previously been monitored,” explains workers, volunteers and management and Regional Manager Dushy Perera. so the responses refl ect very accurately the CDF meeting at Bogawana. “We prepared the ground very carefully, estate’s socio-economic make-up. Involving meeting with the two main umbrella a CDF was a real achievement for the ETP in organisations for tea producers, The that it refl ects everyone’s view of life on the “The new environment section Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PA) and the estate,” Dushy concludes. of the self-assessment Private Tea Factory Owners’ Association questionnaire gives us an insight (PTFOA) to explain our plans before into what needs to be attended holding individual discussions with the top management of each estate. Finally, along to in the future.” Buddika Pieris, with our monitors, PwC Sri Lanka, we Manager of Bogawana Estate conducted a training workshop for the 10 estates’ Head Offi ce staff, Superintendents, Administration Assistants and Factory Managers to show them how to complete the questionnaire”. “Participation was excellent. Producers were personally interviewed for their feedback, which included very positive comments about the common global standard as well as constructive criticism on the length of the questionnaire.” “The new section on the environment was also appreciated. The environment is an emerging topic in Sri Lanka and some estates already have energy conservation or Dushy Perera introduces the SSAQ at the training workshop. ETP explores new opportunities in China

ETP Chairman Dr. Norman Kelly “ETP is not a certifi cation spent two weeks in China in initiative; it works in partnership July where, as well as formally with tea producers by providing opening the new OHS training course, he expanded his own practical support and that is how knowledge of Chinese tea it is different. I have appreciated production and helped identify ETP’s work over the past 2 years, potentialal new proprojects.jects. as we have pursued a shared ETP starts work Accompanied by Hubertt CChen,hen, Norman visited mission to promote sustainable a number of tea gardenss and factories. He then tea development in rural areas.” in Darjeeling went on to hold a series of useful meetinmeetingsgs In 2009 the ETP will roll out its new approach with organisations includingding SSolidaridad,olidaridad, the Mr. Zhou Chongwang, Chief Executive in Darjeeling, a key tea region that the ETP Food and Agriculture Organisationrganisation ((FAO),FAO), the Director of Hunan Tea Company Ltd. International Labour Organisationganisation ((ILO)ILO) and has been keen for a while to start working the China Tea Marketingg Association in. Seven estates are taking part in the fi rst to explore the possibilityy of future joint training session, which marks the start of capacity building ventures.es. the engagement process. Training will be provided to estate management and head Adds Norman, “The visitt to China allowed me to see all typespes of tea offi ce personnel on the new standard and production, from small vvillageillage coco-- self-assessment questionnaire. operative factories throughugh to ververyy Following the training session, estates will modern tea processing ffacilities.acilities. be requested to provide the ETP with a I have confi dence that thehe ETETPP detailed assessment of their key areas of programme in China cann now risk. “We’ve selected a good cross-section of be rolled out further andd nnewew estates and have put in a lot of work to make projects identifi ed with mmoreore sure the questionnaire is clear and easy to partners.” understand,” says Monitoring Programme Manager Heleen Bulckens. Dr. Norman Kelly visits tea producers in The training session will be conducted by Guzhang County. Left to right, Mr. Wu ETP’s Regional Manager for India, Ranjan Haoren, VP of the Hunan Tea Company, Norman Kelly, Mr. Yang Hailiang of the Circar, who will then move on to Assam to Guzhang County Organic Tea Company Ltd. continue the roll-out of ETP’s new standard.

Farewell to... First Regional Manager conference Jacque Brown, pictured left InIn May, ETP held its fi rst with Dr. Norman Kelly. Jacque RRegionalegional ManaManagerger conference in has retired after 12 years ththee UKUK.. AAss wewellll as didiscussionsscussions working with the ETP. Her on ETP’ETP’ss strategystrategy anandd didirection,rection, name will be familiar to many mmeetingseetings wwithith memmemberber readers as she has worked comcompaniespanies anandd stastakeholderkeholder on almost every aspect of our ororganisationsganisations and trainintrainingg for all work over the years. We wish iinn ETP’ETP’ss new ddatabaseatabase system, her a tremendously enjoyable thetherere wwasas aann eextendedxtended vvisitisit ttoo retirement. BBettysettys & TTaylorsaylors tea company. “It was a fantastic opportunitopportunityy to meet tthehe RRegionalegional MManagersanagers Congratulations in person and to share our to... Monitoring Programme experiences and knowledge,” Manager Amanda Penn and partner says Monitoring Programme Matt Wilkins on the arrival of Noah. Manager Céline Gilart. “The While Amanda is on maternity leave, conference really strengthened ETP’s Regional Managers. Left to right: Hubert Chen Céline Gilart is taking over her role. our organisation and the way we (China); Ranjan Circar (India); Nelia Latief (Indonesia); work together.” Joseph Wagurah (Africa), Dushy Perera (Sri Lanka).

The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of ETP or its Members. Members Contact us: [email protected]

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