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ekaterra

OVERALL

Owned
UK
Rating
Criticisms

Tea company

ekaterra is the world's largest tea business, comprising 34 tea brands and 90 facilities around the world. Part of Unilever until 2022, when CVC Capital Partners acquired the business for 4.5 billion euros. Distributed in Australia by Stuart Alexander.

Company Ownership

ekaterra   NLD     website   email   facebook   twitter
  CVC Capital Partners Ltd   
   owns 100% of ekaterra  
UK     website         

Private equity firm

Founded in 1981 and today manages US$71 billion in funds throughout Europe, Asia and the US.

> About the Ratings

Company Assessment

PRAISE CRITICISM INFORMATION
ekaterra
Social Workers rights in India
A 2019 investigation by Oxfam found workers on tea plantations in the Assam region of India are systematically denied their rights to a living wage and decent working and living conditions. Tea workers also struggle to get timely and good quality healthcare, access clean drinking water, and provide their children with a decent education. Women bear the heaviest burden of systemic inequality, as they are concentrated in the lowest paid plucking roles and also shoulder most of the unpaid domestic care work. This company sources tea from Assam.
Source: Oxfam (2019)
Environment Rainforest Alliance certified products
This company sells Rainforest Alliance certified tea. However this only represents a fraction of this company's total tea sales. Rainforest Alliance certification has been dubbed 'Fairtrade light' by critics, as it offers producers no minimum price for their crop, and guarantees a minimum of just 30% of the product is certified.
Source: Rainforest Alliance (2021)
Business Ethics Ethical Tea Partnership member
The Ethical Tea Partnership was formed in 1997 when a number of major tea companies committed to working together to improve the social and environmental conditions in their supply chains.
Source: Ethical Tea Partnership (2021)
Business Ethics Sustainability claims
This company has sustainability claims on its website.
Source: company website (2021)
CVC Capital Partners Ltd
Business Ethics Involvement in gambling
This company has investments in two gaming companies, Tipico and Gaming1.
Source: company website (2022)
Business Ethics CVC Foundation
In June 2011, the company established the CVC Foundation to take its philanthropy programme to the next level.
Source: company website (2022)
Business Ethics Sustainability claims
This company has sustainability claims on its website.
Source: company website (2022)
Business Ethics UN Principles for Responsible Investment signatory
UNPRI is a set of six principles direct institutional investors may adopt to consider environmental, social and corporate governance issues when investing. UNPRI is a voluntary agreement.
Source: UNPRI (2020)

> About the Icons

Company Details

Type Wholly-owned subsidiary
Founded 2021
Revenue 2 billion EUR (2020)
Employees 3,500 (2020)
Subsidiaries Tea Too Pty Ltd 

Tea

Founded in Melbourne in 1996 by Maryanne Shearer and Jan O'Connor. Acquired by Unilever in 2013, who sold its tea business to CVC in 2022, including T2.


Pukka Herbs Ltd 

Herbal teas

Founded in 2001 by Tim Westwell and Sebastian Pole. Acquired by Unilever in 2017, who sold its tea business to CVC in 2022, including Pukka Herbs.

Contact Details

Address Rotterdam, Netherlands
Website ekaterratea.com

Products / Brands

ekaterra
Bushells Tea
Lan Choo Tea
Lipton some products Rainforest Alliance certified  some products Rainforest Alliance certified  Tea
PG Tips some products Rainforest Alliance certified some products Rainforest Alliance certified  Tea

T2 Tea
T2 some products certified Fairtrade some products certified organic some products certified Fairtrade some products certified organic  Tea

Pukka Herbs
Pukka certified organic certified organic  Tea


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