Ahmad Tea
Harm on record. Has recent confirmed harm to workers that it hasn't put right.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 6 sources
British tea company selling black, green and flavoured teas.
In 2022, managers on James Finlay tea estates in Kenya, a supplier Ahmad Tea bought from, sexually exploited women workers.
Also worth knowing
Ahmad Tea has only partly put this right.
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Why it's graded Harm on record
- Not met: Meets 1 of 5 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 3 red flags: no evidence of a living wage, clear breaches of labour conditions and unaudited production in high-risk countries. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- Holds the grade back: It's Harm on record because of a serious confirmed problem from the last 5 years that it has only partly put right: abuse of workers, last recorded in 2022.
Good requirements 1 of 5
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsA confirmed problem counts against it: abuse of workers, last recorded in 2022
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
Red flags 3
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Clear breaches of labour conditions
- Red flag: Made partly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where its tea is grown
Ahmad Tea says which countries its tea comes from, but doesn't name the farms or co-operatives.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 40% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Sri Lanka | 30% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Kenya | Not given | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Malawi | Not given | Strong protections | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: tea estate wages in Assam, Sri Lanka and Kenya are among the lowest of any export crop, often paid partly in kind (housing, rations). Source
- Modern slavery statement
Research notes Ahmad Tea says 40% of its tea comes from Assam in India, 30% from Sri Lanka and 30% from Kenya and Malawi together, without a split between those two. It publishes no estate list and carries no Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance certification across its range. It reports independent garden audits but no findings, and in 2024 paid bonuses to about 8,200 workers at suppliers in India, Kenya, Malawi and Sri Lanka as pilots towards closing the living wage gap.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Ahmad Tea Ltd publishes a modern slavery statement (year to January 2026) giving sourcing shares: Assam 40%, Sri Lanka 30%, Kenya and Malawi 30%. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Listed | Responded in 2023 to allegations about Sri Lankan plantation wages and sexual abuse on Kenyan estates. View |
Confirmed issues 1
Only confirmed problems are listed, and old ones drop off after 10 to 15 years. A problem the company has fully put right no longer counts against it, and nor does one it finds and is fixing itself. How problems are counted
| Last recorded | What happened | Made amends? |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | A 2023 BBC undercover investigation found managers sexually exploiting women workers on James Finlay tea estates in Kenya, a supplier Ahmad Tea bought from until 2022 (BBC via BHRRC, 2023). Source · archived copy | PartlyAhmad Tea put purchases from Finlays on hold in 2023 pending evidence of corrective action and victim protection; no remedy for workers reported. |
Unconfirmed reports
Credible reports that haven't been confirmed by a regulator, completed investigation or the company. They're shown for your information and don't affect the grade.
- Business & Human Rights Resource Centre reports in 2022-23 linked Ahmad Tea to Sri Lankan plantation companies accused of withholding a mandated wage rise and dismissing workers who protested new targets; Ahmad Tea disputed the claims (BHRRC, 2023). Source
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Ahmad Tea's response to allegations of sexual abuse on Kenyan tea plantations (BHRRC, 2023) · search the archive · Bought from James Finlay until 2022 (~5% of Kenyan tea); purchases on hold pending corrective measures
- Kenya: undercover investigation uncovers sexual exploitation on James Finlay, Lipton tea farms (BHRRC) · archived copy · Undercover investigation findings and company comments
- Ahmad Tea's response to allegations of abuses in its tea supply chain (BHRRC, 2023) · search the archive · Sri Lankan wage and dismissal allegations; Ahmad lists estates in its supply chain and disputes claims
- BBC probe reveals sexual abuse on British-owned tea farms in Kenya (GNA, 2023) · search the archive · BBC investigation found managers on James Finlay and Lipton estates in Kenya demanding sex from women workers
Published by Ahmad Tea or its owner
- Ahmad Tea Modern Slavery Statement (FY to January 2026) · search the archive · Sourcing Assam 40%, Sri Lanka 30%, Kenya and Malawi 30% combined; garden audits; Sri Lanka living wage bonus pilot
- Ahmad Tea Sustainability Report 2024 · search the archive · Bonus pilots reached 8,175 workers at suppliers in India, Kenya, Malawi and Sri Lanka; no certification share given
Company details
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Ahmad Tea ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/ahmad-tea, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Harm on record means
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