environment
environment

Environment

Working towards zero deforestation, net zero tea and a climate resilient tea sector.

Context

Tea, as with many agricultural commodities, is both impacted by and contributes to climate change.

Poor production practices degrade soil, waste precious water and energy, and when combined with the effects of climate change, threaten the livelihoods of all those who depend on tea for their income.

Our approach

Protecting ecosystems and human rights

We recognise that climate change impacts the delicate balance of our planets’ ecosystems and threatens human rights, including the right to life, food, water, and housing. We support initiatives that aim to protect and restore our environment, while strongly encouraging our members and other stakeholders to adopt credible, science-based targets.

  • We seek to boost farmers’ resilience and ensuring they have the skills, knowledge, and resources to navigate the challenges presented by climate change
  • We work with farmers to diversify their incomes– including through beekeeping, growing food crops, and agroforestry – so they are not reliant only on tea
  • We support tea producers to adopt more sustainable practices such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving operational efficiency, and promoting alternative energy sources to decrease reliance on fuelwood obtained through deforestation

  • We support tea businesses to effectively measure their carbon emissions, make their supply chain emissions data publicly accessible, and encourage them to publish their climate strategies and performance
  • We emphasise to businesses the importance of evaluating the impact of their purchasing practices, and cultivating long-term, trust-based relationships with suppliers. Both actions in turn empower producers to uphold good social and environmental standards

  • We analyse environmental policies and legislation and engage with stakeholders to support the necessary regional reforms to achieve our desired environmental outcomes; for example, we evaluate policies and laws that have an impact on the cultivation, supply, and use of sustainable energy sources
  • We monitor and assess the effectiveness of low-carbon technologies and practices and share this data with our partners
  • We develop evidence-based resources and share valuable project learnings to help raise awareness of current environmental challenges, paving the way for better practices industry-wide
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Our impact

Nearly 3,500 farmers reached

through Farmer Field Schools in Rwanda

95% of farmers

in Kenya adopted drought resistant clones

62% of farmers

from the Ogembo factory in Kenya replanted more than half of their tea farm with drought resistant clones

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