Why Ronnefeldt Choose ETP (Ethical Tea Partnership) Over Fair Trade

Who or What is ETP?

• ETP stands for „Ethical Tea Partnership“ 

• ETP is a membership organization of tea companies 

• ETP is a „non-profit organisation“ 

• Founded in London 1997 

• 36 international members (tea companies) 

• Operates worldwide with approx. 1000 tea gardens and producers 

• ETP works for better social standards in the country of origins and better environmental conditions 

• Supports, helps and trains tea producers and workers. 

• Free of charge for producers 

• ETP applies for all our teas with the share of min. 55% Camelia Sinensis (not for herbal and fruit infusions) 

• Harmonizes with the standards of Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance and UTZ

What do ETP do?

• Monitoring and certification Inspection and certification of socials standards (e.g. wages, housing, medical care etc.) and environmental standards in tea gardens 

• Support of tea gardens Free of charge support and training in tea gardens on the topics such as health and work safety, working conditions and ecological acting 

• Strategic Sustainability Establishment of sustainability as corporate strategy and therewith an active influence on the topics such as climate change and social justice

Why are Ronnefeldt a member of ETP?

Because ETP was created explicitly for tea, does not finance „bureaucratic hydrocephalus“, improves the life conditions of tea garden workers, protects the environment, works sustainable and supports the co-operation of tea merchants for a better future.

So why ETP over FairTrade?

• Fair Trade is a meaningful and established initiative to support independent, as a rule small farmers and producers in tea growing countries by fair purchase prices 

• Fair Trade takes its origin from coffee and suits the situation and structures of this field 

• Unlike in the case of coffee, the tea structure is characterized by big tea gardens and correspondingly equipped companies and not by small farmers. These tea gardens normally have good infastructure and assist their employees with accommodation, education and medical care 

• Fair Trade can not efficiently provide help in most tea growing areas: China (state-controlled companies) , Japan (one of the most developed industrial nations worldwide), Sri Lanka, Darjeeling and Assam (with its big tea gardens and corresponding companies which assist their employees with social benefits)

• We support our partners directly: 

- Our Tea Tasters control the structures and the employees situation on-site in 

tea gardens - We financially support development projects in tea origin as well as through 

our own activities (e.g. Childaid network) - We buy exclusively premium quality at relatively high prices. The focus is being 

on quality and people on-site benefit from the corresponding purchase prices - We are a member of „Ethical Tea Partnership“.