Unilever spills the tea on its suppliers

Unilever has published its list of tea suppliers for the first time. The company purchases 10% of the world’s tea supply and supports a workforce of over one million people in 21 countries, including India, Kenya, Rwanda, Japan, Argentina, Vietnam and Australia.

Unilever’s list of tea suppliers will cover all black and green tea (Camellia sinensis) sourced by the company, supplying the blends for over 30 brands around the world, including Lipton, Brooke Bond Red Label and Pukka.

“Greater scrutiny of our supply chains helps us work more effectively with partners and suppliers to bring about positive change for people and planet. We want all our consumers to be part of this process too, so they can see where their tea comes from and how we are supporting the communities we work with. We’re determined to make our tea supply chain even more socially and environmentally sustainable, from tea estate to tea pot, and this is a great step to help us do that,” said Mick Van Ettinger, Unilever Executive Vice President (Tea).

A committed Ethical Tea Partnership member, Unilever’s transparency about its tea suppliers indicates the company’s commitment to addressing the social and environmental challenges that the sector continues to face.

Alongside its annually updated supplier list, the company has also published an interactive map, which allows consumers to see where their tea comes from. The map also features stories underscoring the social and environmental programs that Unilever is implementing with NGOs and supplier partners, to enhance the livelihoods of local workers.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/lesterman