Bird & Blend Tea Co.
Partly verifiedBird & Blend Tea Co. raises serious concerns: workers in the countries tea usually comes from, such as India and Kenya are very unlikely to earn a living wage, and unions and workers' rights are heavily restricted in the countries tea usually comes from, such as India and China, with no independent audits.
Last researched 8 October 2026
Not doing enough. Workers in the supply chain are likely underpaid, unprotected or in danger, and in the worst cases face forced or child labour. Look for a better-graded alternative. What this grade means
Good: 1 of 5
- Pays a living wage
- Respects worker rights
- Full supply chain audit, or made only in countries with rigorous labour standards
- No child or forced labour findings
- Publishes where its products are made (supplier list, named farms or its own factories)
Great: 1 of 3
- Pays beyond a living wage
- Finds and fixes problems, or invests directly in workers' communities
- Actively empowers workers
Needs all Good requirements plus two of these.
Red flags: 2
- Does not pay a living wage
- Hidden or unaudited supply chain (no certification or documentation, or major production in countries with poor worker rights without independent audits)
Where it's made: not disclosed
Showing where tea products are usually made instead.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal wages | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| India 30% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | High |
| Kenya 25% | Regular violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Sri Lanka 20% | Regular violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| China 15% | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Malawi 5% | Some protections | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Indonesia 5% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
Country conditions from the ITUC Global Rights Index, Global Slavery Index and living wage benchmarks. Certifications and audits can raise a company above its countries' baseline.
Why this grade
- Tea estate wages in Assam, Sri Lanka and Kenya are among the lowest of any export crop, often paid partly in kind (housing, rations).
- Certified B Corp: Whole-company assessment. Labour is one part of the score, so it is supportive rather than proof.
- Invests in worker and farming communities
Bird & Blend is a UK tea blender and retailer and has been a Certified B Corp since 2022, scoring 99.7 when it re-certified in 2025. It says it screens suppliers against a code of conduct that includes labour practices and funds community projects at the Rutsiro tea garden in Rwanda, which supplies its Classic Chai. It does not publish a supplier list, the origins of most of its teas or a living wage commitment for tea workers, and it says that not all of its producers hold Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance or organic certification.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| B Corp directory | Found | Certified B Corp since October 2022, with an overall score of 99.7 after re-certification (previously 90.1). View ↗ |
| US Department of Labor goods lists | Found | The US Department of Labor lists tea from Rwanda, one of the brand's named origins, for child labour, and tea from India for forced labour. View ↗ |
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Unclear | No modern slavery statement from Bird & Blend appears on the UK registry, though the company may be below the £36m turnover threshold that requires one. View ↗ |
| Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ) | Unclear | The company says not all of its producers are Fairtrade certified; no brand-wide Fairtrade licence is listed. View ↗ |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Not listed | No allegations against Bird & Blend appear in Business & Human Rights Resource Centre or news coverage of tea supply chain abuses. View ↗ |
Sources (8)
- B Corp directory: Bird Blend Tea Ltd · archived copy · Certified B Corp since October 2022; overall score 99.7 (previously 90.1); Workers score 28.8; operates in the UK.
- We've re-certified as a B Corp · archived copy · Re-certified as a B Corp with 99.7 points, up from 90.1 at first certification; no detail on tea sourcing.
- Bird & Blend sustainability page · archived copy · Partners directly with tea gardens such as Rutsiro in Rwanda; impact programme aims to benefit people at those gardens; does due diligence across its supply chain; no supplier list, living wage or mod
- Classic Chai product page · archived copy · Classic Chai combines Assam tea with Rwandan tea from the Rutsiro garden; purchases help fund projects for Rwandan tea pluckers, their families and young children.
- Sustainabilitea: Bird & Blend Tea Co (interview, 2021) · archived copy · Suppliers are screened against a code of conduct covering ethical labour practices; not all producers hold organic, Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance certification; supply comes from large certified es
- Bird & Blend Tea Co opens 7 stores this year and makes Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2024 · archived copy · The company had 164 employees in 2024.
- US DOL List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor (page 46) · archived copy · Tea from India is listed for forced labour and tea from Kenya for child labour.
- US DOL List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor (page 47) · archived copy · Tea from Rwanda, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda and Vietnam is listed for child labour.
Last researched 8 October 2026 · details still being verified. Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Represent this company and think something is wrong? A right-of-reply form is coming soon.