Let’s be honest, we probably love tea more than the average person and that’s exactly why we’re a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP). If we want to keep experimenting with new blends and bringing fresh and rare teas to other tea lovers, we need to put Mother Nature and our tea communities first.
Tea brings people together from all walks of life—different backgrounds, tastes and experiences, and we welcome and appreciate everyone. Our love and respect for our communitea helps guide us, which is why positivitea is one of our central values. From where we source our teas to our work with local communities, we always prioritize diversity and inclusion. We use the connections we make for positive change both locally and around the world.
Some of our local and global initiatives include:
- Partnering with the Jun Chiyabari Tea Garden for our Nepal Clean Water Project to raise funds to provide clean drinking water to government schools in Nepal.
- Collaborating with Johan, a South African rooibos tea producer, for the South African Homework Facility Project, to provide a place for the children of tea farmers to study.
- Partnering with Mamas for Mamas, a national charitable organization that supports caregivers in crisis.
What is C.A.M.P. by DAVIDsTEA x ETP?
This summer, we are thrilled to launch C.A.M.P., which stands for Child-friendly Areas for Meaningful Positivitea. This is a joint pilot program that we are working on in collaboration with the ETP. This program will provide a nurturing and secure environment for children within a tea community, along with a curriculum that ranges from science and emotional development to mental health awareness and nutrition!
The pilot project will run for one summer at the Zhejiang Kainong Trading Co (KN) facility in Zhejiang Province, China where we source high-quality green tea for our blends. The local children will have the opportunity to learn and play in a secure and safe environment near their parents. There will also be optional courses for their parents to learn about child and parent relationships, maternal health and improved literacy and life skills.
Why C.A.M.P.?
Our teas would be nothing without the people that provide them. That’s why this project really hits close to our hearts. This warm initiative aligns with our values of caring for our tea communities and their families above all else.
There are an estimated 6.44 million “left behind children” in China. These are children that typically live with grandparents or other relatives while their parents work in urban areas. These families often only see each other once or twice a year, which can have a significant impact on a child’s development. The regional team at ETP identified a need to support childcare and quality education in tea families and communities with effective, scalable, and sustainable solutions, particularly during the off-season summer months.
What is the ETP?
The Ethical Tea Partnership is a membership organization working with tea companies (like us!), development organizations and governments who work to improve the lives of tea workers, farmers and the environment.
Their aim is to drive forward long-term systemic change across three areas in tea: economics, equality and environment. ETP’s work improves the progress that is being made towards attaining the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals in tea-growing regions.
The Ethical Tea Partnership & DAVIDsTEA
The work the ETP does in the industry is in line with our own values and so, in 2020, we formed a bond. Thanks to our partnership, all of our Camellia sinensis teas now give back to the ETP’s efforts to create a fairer, more sustainable tea industry for tea workers, farmers, their families and the environment. But more on that in a bit!
The positivitea doesn’t end there, either. In November 2020, we launched our Impact Fund to create even more meaningful change in our industry. Today, we are working closely with the ETP to identify the needs of tea workers and farmers in the countries where we source our tea to help shape our future endeavors that benefit both the communities and environment.
Want to learn more about the ETP and the work they do? Check out our Steeping Together podcast episode Creating Positive Change in the Tea Industry with Jenny Costelloe, the Executive Director of the Ethical Tea Partnership.
Teas that support the ETP
If you’re wondering how you can help, you already are! All of our Camellia sinensis teas support the ETP, and in turn the global tea community. There are tons of delicious options to choose from among our wide range of white, green, matcha, oolong, black and pu’erh teas. There’s nothing better than being able to give back, except maybe being able to enjoy a nice mug of tea while you do it. So just sit back, steep a DAVIDsTEA Camellia sinensis tea, and we’ll do the rest.
A timeline of C.A.M.P.
