Lipton
Partly verifiedLipton raises serious concerns: there are documented abuses of workers, and workers in the countries tea usually comes from, such as India and Kenya are very unlikely to earn a living wage. A 2023 BBC investigation found women workers on Kericho tea estates in Kenya, then owned by Lipton's parent (formerly ekaterra), were sexually exploited by supervisors; Rainforest Alliance audits then found non-conformities and suspended the estates' certificate, and a Kenyan court later upheld the company's dismissal of a manager for sexual harassment.
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: 2 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: 3
- Does not pay a living wage
- Clear breaches of labour conditions
- 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). (partly offset by certification or direct sourcing)
- Rainforest Alliance: Audited farm standard with no minimum price; weaker on wages than Fairtrade.
- Modern slavery statement
- Publishes supplier list
- Invests in worker and farming communities
Lipton buys around 4% of the world's tea from close to a million farmers in about 30 countries, and says almost 98% of its tea is Rainforest Alliance certified. It publishes an annual tea sourcing list but no country shares. It aims for everyone in its value chain to earn a living wage or income by 2040, and reports pilots in 2025 that closed half the living wage gap at two Kenyan suppliers. In 2024 it agreed to sell its own estates in Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania to Browns Investments. Its goal of a living wage across its supply chain by 2040 has no measurable steps due before then, so it doesn't count as working towards one.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| US Department of Labor goods lists | Found | The US Department of Labor lists tea from India for forced labour and tea from Kenya for child labour; Lipton sources from both regions. View ↗ |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Found | Tracks the 2023 BBC exposé of sexual abuse on Kenyan estates and a 2023 Guardian report on Sri Lankan estates, both naming Lipton. View ↗ |
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Found | LIPTON Teas and Infusions publishes a 2025 UK modern slavery statement. View ↗ |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Unclear | No Australian statement from LIPTON Teas and Infusions was identified. View ↗ |
| Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ) | Not listed | Lipton relies on Rainforest Alliance rather than Fairtrade for its tea. View ↗ |
Confirmed issues
Problems confirmed by a court, regulator, completed investigation or the company itself. Issues more than 15 years old, or 10–15 years old where the company made amends, are removed. Problems a company finds and publishes itself, and is fixing, are shown but don't count against it.
| When | What happened | Made amends? |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | A 2023 BBC investigation found women workers on Kericho tea estates in Kenya, then owned by Lipton's parent (formerly ekaterra), were sexually exploited by supervisors; Rainforest Alliance audits then found non-conformities and suspended the estates' certificate, and a Kenyan court later upheld the company's dismissal of a manager for sexual harassment. | Partly Suspended the staff named by the BBC, commissioned an investigation and dismissed at least one manager in May 2023 (dismissal upheld by a Kenyan court in 2025); later agreed to sell the Kenyan estates |
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.
- A 2023 Guardian investigation reported poverty wages, unfair deductions, abuse by supervisors and squalid housing on certified Sri Lankan tea estates supplying brands including Lipton. Source ↗
Sources (12)
- Unilever's response to allegations of sexual abuse on Kenyan tea plantations (BHRRC) · archived copy · BBC investigation (Feb 2023) into sexual exploitation on Kericho estates supplying Lipton; Unilever no longer owned the estates; LIPTON Teas and Infusions suspended staff and committed to an independe
- Tea giants lose certification after Kenya sex abuse probe (Guardian Nigeria / AFP, May 2023) · archived copy · Rainforest Alliance audits found non-conformities and suspended certification of Ekaterra Tea Kenya and James Finlay Kenya; over 70 women reported abuse
- Court upholds Lipton Teas' manager dismissal over sexual harassment (Capital FM, Dec 2025) · archived copy · Manager dismissed in May 2023 after internal investigation found sexual harassment; dismissal upheld by Employment and Labour Relations Court in December 2025
- LIPTON Teas and Infusions and Browns Investments agree long-term partnership · archived copy · May 2024 agreement to transfer estates in Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania to Browns; 15% community share offer and KSh 1bn community welfare trust
- Lipton Teas and Infusions to offload troubled Kenyan tea plants (The Grocer) · archived copy · Estates were acquired in CVC's 2022 purchase of Unilever's tea business; sale announced 7 May 2024
- Better livelihoods (LIPTON Teas and Infusions) · archived copy · Almost 98% of tea Rainforest Alliance certified; published tea supplier list; Kenyan estate pay above 1.5 times minimum wage; housing, healthcare and education on estates
- Partnering with farmers (LIPTON Teas and Infusions) · archived copy · Buys about 4% of world tea from almost one million farmers in 30 countries; annual tea sourcing list published
- LIPTON Teas and Infusions publishes its 2025 sustainability report · archived copy · Ambition for living wage or income across the value chain by 2040; pilots closed 50% of the living wage gap at two Kenyan suppliers
- Modern slavery statement (LIPTON Teas and Infusions) · archived copy · Publishes 2025 UK and Canada modern slavery statements
- Sri Lanka: workers on tea plantations supplying Lipton, Tetley and Yorkshire Tea living in poverty (BHRRC) · archived copy · Guardian investigation into abuse and poverty wages on Sri Lankan estates supplying Lipton
- Sri Lanka's tea industry faces scrutiny over working conditions (SAPAN News, June 2023) · archived copy · Date of the Sri Lankan tea estate reporting (2023)
- List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor (US DOL) · archived copy · Tea from India listed for forced labour; tea from Kenya 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.