Ethical Sourcing at Grey's Teas
Our Commitment to Ethical Sourcing
At Grey's Teas, many of the teas we sell are sourced through members of the Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP) — an international non-profit organisation that works to improve the lives of tea workers, the quality and value of the tea they produce and the sustainability of the tea industry.
What Does ETP Membership Mean?
The Ethical Tea Partnership works directly with tea gardens, farmers, and producers to promote fair and ethical practices throughout the supply chain. ETP member organisations commit to standards across a number of important areas:
- Fair employment and wages — ensuring workers receive fair pay and are employed under lawful, transparent terms.
- Education — supporting access to education for workers and their families within tea-growing communities.
- Maternity and family welfare — protecting the rights and wellbeing of pregnant workers and new mothers.
- Health and safety — promoting safe working conditions in tea gardens and processing facilities.
- Basic rights — upholding the fundamental human and labour rights of everyone in the supply chain.
It is important to note that ETP membership relates to the suppliers and traders who source many of our teas. However, we are not able to source all our teas via members. As premium quality teas our products rely on good employment practices on the gardens in which are teas are produced.
What We Can and Cannot Claim
We believe in being straightforward with our customers. “Many of our teas are sourced through ETP members” means that a significant portion of our range passes through supply chain partners who hold ETP membership and are committed to its standards. It does not mean that every tea in our range has been individually audited or certified.
If you have questions about the sourcing of a specific tea, please get in touch and we will do our best to find out for you.
Our Organic Range
A number of our teas are certified organic, meaning they have been grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilisers and have met the requirements of an independent organic certification body. You can browse our range of organic teas to explore these products.
The Packaging We Use
Our packaging is paper based and is recyclable. Our caddies are tin plated steel and can also be recycled.
Opportunities for People on Tea Estates
We support the work of the Tea Leaf Trust by contributing £1 per order to their work in Sri Lanka in providing wider educational and employment opportunities for those living on tea estates. Our page about them can be see here.
Learn More
To find out more about the Ethical Tea Partnership and the work they do around the world, visit ethicalteapartnership.org.