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Company Response

18 Oct 2019

Author:
Tesco

Tesco's response

...We support Oxfam’s clear framework... We are in the process of developing specific actions plans to greater support progress on gender equality and living wages in key supply chains...

All our own label black tea sold in the UK is 100% Rainforest Alliance certified... [W]e also assess each tea producer against defined ethical criteria and we will only source from producers once we are satisfied they meet our minimum requirements... [W]e buy larger volumes of tea from producers who have scored highly in our assessments, ensuring that our purchasing practices align with our approach to human rights.

... [W]e are the only multi retail member of the Ethical Tea Partnership... We are also funding and working in partnership with Unicef and the Ethical Tea Partnership to support women and young people in Assam...

...In September 2019... Tesco... visited several Brazilian suppliers and identified opportunities to improve labour conditions... Tesco is requesting all our sites to promote either the creation of stand-alone worker committees to deal with all labour issues or to broaden the mandate of the health and safety committees. A vital part of this change is to train worker representatives on how to effectively deal with these issues as well as ensuring all workers are made aware of this new service by their elected representatives.

... [W]e have also been engaging SEDEX, SMETA auditors and Rainforest Alliance to improve the quality of auditors...

[I]it is absolutely essential that no worker is being exposed to dangerous chemicals... We will be engaging our suppliers and audit bodies on this matter... Extensive risk-based product testing is done to identify the use of unauthorised chemicals, and we will be enhancing this testing for any products from Northern Brazil as a result of the concerns raised.

Part of the following timelines

Oxfam reveals poverty pay, harsh working conditions & gender discrimination in intl. supermarkets' food supply chains; Includes company responses

Les supermarchés internationaux manquent de vigilance quant aux conditions de travail dans leurs chaînes d'approvisionnement, selon Oxfam