Report: Sustainabilitea

The SOMO report on the global tea market report provides an overview of the tea market with special reference to the Dutch market and examines labour, social, ecological and economic issues in the tea sector

The first part of the report provides an overview of the global tea market and a description of a tea value chain. In particular, the report focuses on the Dutch tea market: consumption, production and the major players of the Dutch market. The second part of the report examines labour, social, ecological and economic issues in the tea sector. Current responsible business initiatives of mayor players on the Dutch tea market are analysed on the basis of internationally agreed upon standards and operational principles. An overview is also given of the social organisations, including trade unions, active in tea producing countries.

The primary aim of the report is to inform a broad audience of tea companies, sector organisations, civil society organisations, trade unions, government bodies and the media in the Netherlands, Europe as well as in tea producing countries. With its critical analysis, the report hopes to contribute to a discussion among all stakeholders involved in the tea production chain in the global and Dutch tea markets, with the aim of improving labour, socio-environmental and economic conditions in the global tea industry by means of effective and fair CSR policies and practices.