... We are also aware of the particular human rights challenges in the production of tea... [A] proportion of our tea productions are either UTZ/Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade or Organic certified and we are working to increase the percentage of certified tea available to our customers.

... [B]ut we are aware that they may not always identify hidden issues such as forced labour, discrimination or harassment. We therefore commit to adopt an approach to ethical trade that goes beyond compliance and does not rely solely on certification, complementing our approach with additional activity such as our own on-site visits, supplier and producer communication and training, participation in multi-stakeholder initiatives, capacity building and projects on the ground. Introducing permanent improvements to working conditions requires a collaborative approach to ethical trade between ALDI SOUTH and our suppliers....

Over the next five years, we intend to further address issues within our supply chains via a number of measures, including a review of policies and processes, traceability and supply chain mapping, social auditing and certification, further integration of CR criteria into the buying process, participation in multi-stakeholder initiatives and capacity building measures...

The ALDI SOUTH Group shares the core values behind Oxfam’s efforts and we continue to have constructive dialogue with Oxfam.