Ethical Tea Partnership >

Sen Sotan (1578-1658) talking about tea, said “If someone asks you what the nature of a cup of tea is, tell him, "it's the sound of windblown pines in a painting."

He may or may not have known it at the time, but today, everyone is straining to hear the sound of the “windblown pines” in their cups of tea.

Knowing this and wishing to satisfy every need of our clients, we at TTEL have obtained the certificates of Compliance awarded by the Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP) scheme.

Believing that behind each cup of tea lies a much bigger picture, that growing and producing tea provide a livelihood for millions of people around the world, and making this picture transparent – Ethical Tea Partnership monitors living and working conditions on tea estates, with the aim of making sure that the tea you buy has been produced in a socially responsible way.

Our High Grown estates of Great Western, Matakelle, Somerset and Holyrood and our Low Grown estates of Kiruwanaganga, Deniyaya and Handford have been awarded Certificates of Compliance for adhering to the areas defined by ETP; employment (including minimum age and wage levels), Education, Maternity, Health and Safety, Housing and Basic Rights.

We are proud of the Group Managers, Managers and the staff of these estates for their commitment towards maintaining high ethical and social standards ensuring that;

-Employment is freely chosen
-Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected
-Working conditions are safe and hygienic
-Child labour is not used
-Total remuneration packages are negotiated between unions and employers
-Agreements are in place regarding working hours
-No discrimination is practiced
-No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed

There you have it! The bigger picture behind every cup of tea we manufacture is as clear as the "sound of the windblown pines on a painting".