Yogi Tea
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 5 sources
Brand of organic Ayurvedic-inspired herbal teas.
We couldn't confirm where Yogi Tea gets most of its tea.
Also worth knowing
Most tea is grown in countries such as India and Kenya, where workers are very unlikely to earn a living wage.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 5 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and unaudited production, probably in high-risk countries. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
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 rightsWhere tea is usually grown, such as India and China, unions are heavily restricted, and it has no full supply chain audit.
- 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 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Probably 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
Accreditations 2
Estimates for its products
Our rules applied to one kind of product at a time, using Yogi Tea's evidence and, where it has product lines, that line's countries. They're estimates: we don't know which factory made any single item.
- A product carrying the Fairtrade mark: Good
Holding one? Scan its barcode for an estimate that uses its care label or ingredients.
Where its tea is grown
We couldn't confirm where Yogi Tea gets most of its tea, so this shows where tea is usually grown.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 30% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Kenya | 25% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Sri Lanka | 20% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| China | 15% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Malawi | 5% | Strong protections | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Indonesia | 5% | No guarantee of rights | Well 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).
Research notes Yogi buys more than 140 herbs and spices from over 50 countries but does not name them or publish country shares or a supplier list. It says 92% of its ingredients can be traced to the co-op or farm (2023). Its teas are certified organic, and both the US company (since 2014) and Yogi Tea GmbH (since 2023) are Certified B Corps. Rainforest Alliance or fair trade certification is used only for some ingredients, and it does not describe supplier social audits. It has not yet measured living wages or incomes, which it listed as a priority for 2024. No labour abuse reports linked to Yogi were found.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| B Corp directory | Certified | East West Tea Co. (Yogi's US owner) is a Certified B Corp since 2014 with a score of 129.3; Yogi Tea GmbH in Germany is also a B Corp. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Listed | Profile records no labour allegations; Yogi Tea GmbH answered the 2021 tea supply chain survey. View |
| Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ) | Not listed | Yogi does not claim Fairtrade certification across its range; certification is used only for some ingredients. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- East West Tea Co. LLC - B Corp directory · search the archive · Certified B Corp since June 2014, score 129.3 (workers 23.8); Eugene, Oregon; parent of Yogi Tea and Choice Organic Teas
- Yogi Tea GmbH - B Corp directory · search the archive · Yogi Tea GmbH (Germany) a Certified B Corp since July 2023, score 117.6
- Yogi Tea - Business & Human Rights Resource Centre · search the archive · Yogi Tea GmbH, subsidiary of East West Tea Company; no allegations recorded; 2021 tea survey responses
Published by Yogi Tea or its owner
- Yogi Sustainability Report 2023 · search the archive · 140+ ingredients from 50+ countries; 92% traceable to co-op or farm; certification only where conditions inequitable; living wage a 2024 priority
- Yogi (official site) · search the archive · Lists USDA Organic, B Corp, Rainforest Alliance and Non-GMO Project labels
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Yogi Tea ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/yogi-tea, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
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