Season 2 of the CRIB – Child Rights in Business Podcast: New Episodes Every 2 Weeks

The CRIB – Child Rights in Business Podcast is back for a second season. Following on from our insightful discussions about women’s and children’s rights in Sri Lanka’s tea industry with key experts and voices engaged in the Sri Lankan tea industry, Season 2 takes a more global perspective on issues affecting human rights and the sustainability of the industry against a backdrop of increased human rights due diligence legislation.

Episode 1: A Conversation about Tea Sustainability with the Canadian Tea and Herbal Association

Speakers: Shabnam Weber, President of Tea and Herbal Association of Canada
Host: Ines Kaempfer, CEO, The Centre for Child Rights and Business 

In Episode 1, The Centre’s CEO Ines Kaempfer sat down for a conversation with Shabnam Weber, President of Tea and Herbal Association of Canada during the 2024 Colombo International Tea Convention. Prior to the recording, Shabnam had spoken on a panel discussion about wages and pricing. In this conversation, Ines and Shabnam explore the topic further and offer their thoughts on the pain points that need to be addressed to resolve the fact that pricing needs to allow for fair wages for workers.

The conversation also discusses the issue of tea's value and how it’s crucial for the industry and retailers to rethink their pricing to stop the practice of selling tea below the price of production.

"The biggest issue within this industry, and we've heard this quite a bit, is tea is too cheap...Consumers do not pay enough for their product. Our product is used as a loss leader by supermarkets. And that has to stop. And I really believe that we as an industry need to take control back into our hands,” Shabnam says on Episode 1.

Tune in to learn about the impact of human rights due diligence laws on business models, particularly in Europe, successful initiatives by the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada, including a global campaign called “Tea Power” and an education programme promoting tea knowledge, and the importance of collaborative efforts to address industry challenges and promote sustainable practices.

Listen on Spotify here.

Listen on Amazon Music here.

Listen on Audible here. 

Episode 2: Insights from the UK Tea & Infusions Association About the Future of Tea in an Evolving Regulatory Landscape

Speakers: Sharon Hall, Chief Executive of the UK Tea & Infusions Association
Host: Ines Kaempfer, CEO, The Centre for Child Rights and Business 

In 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. 

Listen on Spotify here. 

Listen on Amazon Music here. 

Listen on Audible here. 

Episode 3: Sustainability, Human Rights and Gender Equity in Tea: A Conversation with Madhuri Nanda from Rainforest Alliance

Guest speaker: Madhuri Nanda, Director of South Asia at Rainforest Alliance
Host: Ines Kaempfer, CEO, The Centre for Child Rights and Business

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. 

Listen on Spotify here.

Listen on Amazon Music here. 

Listen on Audible here. 

Episode 4: Tealet Founder Elyse Petersen's Vision for Ethical and High-Quality Tea

Guest speaker: Elyse Petersen, Founder of Tealet
Host: Ahila Thillainathan, Sri Lanka Country Director, The Centre for Child Rights and Business

In Episode 4 of the CRIB Child Rights in Business Podcast, The Centre’s Sri Lanka Country Director Ahila Thillainathan sat down with Elise Peterson, 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 organization 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!

Listen on Spotify here.

Listen on Youtube here.