In the final episode of Season 2 of the CRIB Podcast, we sit down with Diana Jendoubi, a writer for Tea Journey. Diana shares her insights on Sri Lanka’s tea industry, what drives sustainability, and the role of consumers in supporting tea communities. Plus, we learn more about Tea Journey, a digital magazine bringing global stories from the tea world in over a dozen languages.

Learn more about Tea Journey here: https://teajourney.pub/ 

All episodes of the CRIB Podcast Season 2 can be found here: https://www.childrights-business.org/resources/listen-to-season-2-of-the-crib-child-rights-in-business-podcast

All episodes of the CRIB Podcast Season 1 can be found here: https://www.srilanka-motherandchildseal.org/Home/Podcast 

Thanks for supporting this podcast! Look out for a new season in 2025!

In this episode, our Sri Lanka Country Director Ahila Thillainathan sits down with Simon Bell, co-founder and Managing Director of AMBA Estate, a social enterprise that is reshaping the Sri Lankan tea industry through sustainable practices and local community empowerment. 

Simon shares how AMBA Estate’s unique approach—focusing on fair wages, local hiring, and creating opportunities for skill development—has made it a model of responsible business in Sri Lanka. He discusses the challenges of the traditional tea industry and how AMBA’s people-centric practices are attracting a new generation to work in tea. From revenue-sharing models to career advancement for workers, Simon offers insights into creating a thriving business that benefits both employees and the broader community.

More on Amba Estate: www.ambaestate.com

More on The Centre for Child Rights and Business: www.childrights-business.org

More on The Mother and Child-Friendly Seal for Responsible Business: www.srilanka-motherandchildseal.org

Contact us: [email protected] 

In Episode 7, we bring you a conversation recorded live at this year’s Colombo Tea Convention. Our CEO, Ines Kaempfer, sits down with Dr. Ebrahim Afshar, Managing Director of Ahmad Tea, to discuss a critical issue: ensuring fair wages for tea workers.

They explore how Ahmad Tea is challenging the status quo, pushing for tea prices that truly benefit the farmers, and encouraging consumers to support products that meet living wage criteria. Dr. Afshar also introduces a new initiative focused on making direct digital payments to tea pluckers—an important step towards paying fair wages. 

In Episode 6 of the CRIB Child Rights in Business podcast, we discuss challenges related to poverty among tea workers in the global tea industry with Sabita Banerji, CEO and Founder of THIRST, interviewed by Ahila Thillainathan, Sri Lanka Country Director for The Centre for Child Rights and Business.

Despite tea being the world’s second most popular drink after water, the workers who produce it often live in poverty. Sabita sheds light on why this is the case, explaining how the denial of poverty within the tea sector keeps workers from achieving acceptable living standards and the role THIRST plays in raising awareness of this. As young people leave the industry in search of better opportunities, Sabita highlights the importance of acknowledging the problem and taking collective responsibility to address it.

This episode also explores how consumers can play a role in creating change. Sabita argues that it’s not just about paying more for tea, but about understanding its true value—both in terms of quality and ethics.

The conversation also covers creative solutions to achieving living wages for tea workers, gender equity, what the future of the tea industry could look like and more.

In the latest episode of the CRIB Child Rights in Business podcast, we sit down with Tom Franks, Chair of the Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP), to explore the critical issues facing the global tea industry today. ETP is a global organisation focused on catalysing systemic change in the tea sector, with a particular emphasis on improving the lives of workers at the origin of tea production.

During this conversation, hosted by The Centre for Child Rights and Business’ CEO, Ines Kaempfer, Tom discusses the complexities around achieving living wages for tea workers, gender equality, and responsible sourcing. He also delves into how ETP is aligning its practices with new human rights due diligence guidelines like the OECD and UN Principles while addressing the practical challenges faced by both large and small-scale tea packers.

One of the episode’s highlights is Tom’s insight into the balance between pushing for systemic change and making tangible, on-the-ground impacts. He shares stories of how even small-scale initiatives can make a real difference in the lives of tea workers, bringing the industry closer to fairer wages and better working conditions.

Join us for an eye-opening episode that looks at the challenges and opportunities in the tea sector and the role ETP plays in promoting ethical business practices. Whether you are interested in sustainability, human rights, or the tea industry itself, this episode offers valuable insights into the path toward more responsible sourcing and fair treatment for tea workers around the world.

Listen now on your favourite podcast platform, and be sure to check out more about the Ethical Tea Partnership at www.etp-global.org and The Centre’s work at www.childrights-business.org.

In Episode 4 of the CRIB Child Rights in Business Podcast, The Centre’s Sri Lanka Country Director Ahila Thillainathan sat down with Elyse Petersen, founder of Tealet, an innovative B2B marketplace that is on a mission to transform the tea industry.

Elyse details how Tealet facilitates direct trade between independent, family-owned tea farms and business buyers, with an emphasis on transparency and high-quality tea. She explains Tealet’s innovative approach, including its decentralised organisation model and open enrollment system for suppliers, which ensures transparency and fair transactions.

Elyse also highlights her mission to give tea producers a platform to be heard, advocating for their rights and amplifying their voices in the market. She discusses the significant value and quality differences in tea and how Tealet supports small producers in achieving premium pricing for their high-calibre teas.

With growing consumer demand for ethical products, Elyse shares her vision of creating a more transparent and equitable market that values both tea quality and producer empowerment. Make sure to tune in!

In Episode 3 of Season 2 of the CRIB - Child Rights in Business podcast, The Centre's CEO Ines Kaempfer sits down with Madhuri Nanda, Director of South Asia at Rainforest Alliance for a conversation about Rainforest Alliance's work in the tea sector and some of the lesser known landscape level work they do to promote sustainable agriculture, human rights issues and gender inequality, beyond their well-established certification programme.

Listen to learn about Rainforest Alliance's work in sustainable agriculture, with a focus on the tea industry in Sri Lanka and India, a new pilot programme with The Centre that aims to create gender champions in tea estates and more. Madhuri highlights the shift from a pass/fail certification approach to an "assess and address" method, which encourages tea producers to actively identify and tackle social issues like gender inequality, human rights concerns, and livelihoods. She also stresses the importance of shared responsibility between producers and buyers to drive sustainability and discusses how we can move beyond sustainable agriculture toward regenerative agriculture to restore soil health, biodiversity, and improve livelihoods in the tea sector. 

Tune in for this and more!

For more information about The Centre's work in the tea industry, please visit www.srilanka-motherandchildseal.org

In Season 2, Episode 2 of the CRIB Child Rights in Business podcast, The Centre's CEO Ines Kaempfer sits down with Sharon Hall, Chief Executive of the UK Tea & Infusions Association.

Their conversation leads us through the history and work of the UK Tea & Infusions Association, and some of the implications of the evolving human rights due diligence regulatory landscape, both in post-Brexit UK and in the EU. They discuss what these changes might mean for the tea value chain and for consumers, as well as other insights. 

About the CRIB Child Rights in Business podcast

This podcast is dedicated to discussing sustainability in the tea industry, particularly issues around human rights and ensuring no one in the tea supply chain is left behind from the value tea creates. In Season 1, we spoke to key voices from Sri Lanka's tea sector, and highlighted initiatives that are creating tangible, long-term impact for local communities. In Season 2, our conversations go global, speaking with experts from across the world on the bigger picture of tea sustainability amidst the emergence of human rights due diligence legislation that will impact brands, retailers and also business partners along the supply chain, including producers. 

Please support us by following our podcast. More information about our work can be found at www.childrights-business.org. 

In our first episode of Season 2 of the CRIB Podcast, we hear an insightful conversation with Ines Kaempfer, CEO of The Center for Child Rights in Business, and Shabnam Weber, President of the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada, recorded at the Colombo Tea Convention in July 2024.

Tune in to hear the full conversation. 

As we conclude the first season of our podcast series, we would like to highlight an impactful initiative that The Centre for Child Rights and Business (The Centre) has been working on in Sri Lanka. In collaboration with strategic partners such as Save the Children (Sri Lanka and Hong Kong) and key stakeholders from the tea industry, we have introduced the Mother and Child-Friendly Seal for Responsible Business. This certification programme assesses the impact of businesses on the lives of their employees and supply chain, particularly in relation to children and their families. In this article, we will recap the SEAL Initiative's objectives and emphasise its significance in promoting and fulfilling children's rights.

Promoting Children's Rights:

While the primary responsibility for promoting, protecting, and ensuring children's rights lies with the government, other stakeholders such as parents, civil society, and businesses also have a role to play. The SEAL Initiative serves as a pathway for businesses to ensure that their operations do not hinder the enjoyment of children's rights throughout their supply chains. By adhering to child rights and business principles and implementing human rights due diligence, businesses can actively contribute to the well-being of children and their families.

Objectives of the SEAL Initiative:

The SEAL Initiative has four primary objectives, each crucial in advancing the cause of children's rights:

• Creating a Family-Friendly Supply Chain: The Initiative aims to strengthen businesses' commitment to establishing a supply chain that supports the human rights of children and their families. By encouraging family-friendly practices, businesses can contribute to a nurturing and inclusive work environment.

Expanding Impact:

While the current focus of the Seal Initiative is on the tea industry in Sri Lanka, the long-term vision is to expand its reach to other sectors within the country. By incorporating child rights principles and encouraging responsible business practices, the initiative aims to inspire positive change across various industries.

Engage and Participate:

To learn more about the SEAL Initiative, interested parties can visit the "Mother and Child- Friendly Seal for Responsible Business" website. This platform provides comprehensive information about the initiative, including how companies can enroll and engage in the programme. The website also features the "Child Rights in Business Tea Network," a forum where stakeholders from the industry, development agencies, civil society organisations, and government entities can collaborate, exchange ideas, and explore partnerships.