Rael and the other members of her crew, including her husband, have been hard at work since 6:30 a.m. here on Lipton's Kericho Tea Estate, which lies in the highlands west of the Great Rift Valley in the southwestern part of Kenya, about a half-day's drive from the capital, Nairobi. Each tea bush on the plantation is plucked about once every two weeks, a frequency that helps increase the total yield each year and ensures that this estate remains environmentally sustainable.
After the leaves are picked, they’re transported to another part of the plantation and loaded onto conveyor belts, exposed to air, chopped into small pieces and dried some more. It’s a time-consuming and labour-intensive process, but one in which "nothing is added or taken away," says Richard Fairburn, managing director of Unilever Tea Kenya, which owns the operation. Indeed, this tea estate is certified by the Rainforest Alliance (www.rainforest-alliance.org), a nongovernmental organization working in more than 70 countries to conserve biodiversity. The organization works with local farmers, foresters, tourism operators, workers, business leaders, NGOs, governments, scientists and communities to develop and implement standards that are environmentally and socially responsible, as well as economically viable.
Sustainable and ethical tea
Tea with the Rainforest Alliance certification is grown on farms where forests are protected, and soil, wildlife and water are conserved; workers are treated with respect, paid decent wages, properly equipped and given access to education and medical care. The seal also ensures that experienced inspectors have verified that the farms meet demanding environmental and social standards, and are on a path toward true sustainability.
By 2010, all Lipton Yellow Label tea bags sold in Europe will have the Rainforest Alliance’s stamp of approval. Unilever will extend that certification to all Lipton tea bags in Canada (and the rest of the world) by 2015.
Rael’s pay as a tea plucker on the Lipton plantation is about three times the national average of an agricultural worker in Kenya. While compensating workers fairly is inherent in the Rainforest Alliance certification requirements, many growers anticipate increased yields due to the sustainable land-use practices, and savings from the reduced use of water and other resources are passed on to the workers. Rael's job comes with other enviable perks, too. Another key aspect of Lipton's Rainforest Alliance certification is social responsibility, and this means that Rael, her husband and their four children are given free housing in a two-room home on the estate. As well, three of her children attend the Kericho HQ Primary School at no cost. The family also has free access to the estate’s two hospitals, four health centres, and community nursing and comprehensive HIV/AIDS programs. Antivirals are readily available for any worker or family member who needs them.
Page 1 of 2--On page 2: Treating workers with respect while preserving the environment
