Training smallholder farmers in sustainable and regenerative practices.
A cup of tea carries with it more than just warmth and flavour. Behind every sip lies the labour of farmers and workers, the health of the soil, and the resilience of entire communities. For India, the world’s second-largest tea producer, the industry is both heritage and livelihood. And for HUL, it is also a responsibility: to make sure tea is grown in a way that supports people, planet, and progress.
A partnership with purpose
At our recent Partner to Win event in Mumbai, HUL strengthened its commitment to sustainable sourcing of tea by signing a Partnership Growth Charter (PGC) with the trustea Sustainable Tea Foundation. The agreement was signed in the presence of Unilever Chief Procurement Officer Shailendra Sadera, HUL Executive Director Foods, Rajneet Kohli, and Unilever Procurement Director Foods, India & PTAB, Mandeep Singh Tuli.
This Charter is a shared pledge to transform tea production and sourcing in India, aligning closely with Unilever’s sustainability goals in Nature, Climate, and Livelihoods. Running until December 2028, the PGC outlines clear KPIs that will measure progress and hold both partners accountable for meaningful impact.
Building resilience from the ground up
India’s tea sector depends heavily on smallholder farmers, whose fields are vulnerable to climate change and market fluctuations. Through this partnership, HUL and trustea will expand efforts in the following areas:
Promoting safe pesticide management aligned with pesticide residue regulatory compliance.
Strengthening market access for producers by improving quality and certification.
These initiatives are designed not only to reduce environmental pressure but also to build resilience and income security for farming communities.
trustea’s role in shaping the industry
Launched in 2013, trustea has grown into the world’s largest domestic sustainability certification standard for a single commodity within a single geography. Today, more than 75% of India’s tea production is trustea certified. The organisation has also earned membership of the prestigious ISEAL Alliance, the global association for credible sustainability standards.
As a founding and funding partner since inception, HUL has been integral to trustea’s journey. The new Growth Charter signals the next phase of deeper collaboration, stronger accountability, and an even sharper focus on results that can be felt from estates to households.
Brewing the future of tea
With the Partnership Growth Charter, HUL and trustea are ensuring that India’s tea industry remains sustainable, competitive, and fair for decades to come.
Because every time we raise a cup, we are also raising a question: how was this tea grown, and at what cost? Through partnerships like this, we aim to make the answer one we can all be proud of.
Read more about our initiatives to protect and regenerate nature here.