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This article examines how labour practices on tea plantations in Bangladesh continue to reflect a history of exploitation and forced labour. It looks at how discriminatory labour laws, long working hours, unfair incentive systems and limited opportunities for promotion keep workers trapped in poor working conditions. The study highlights how these practices restrict workers’ freedom and contribute to modern slavery in the tea sector.

This publication provides updated guidelines on how to value in-kind benefits, such as housing and food, when calculating living wages. Building on the Anker and Anker framework, the guidelines draw on seven years of practical experience to address common challenges and improve how these benefits are valued. The aim is to help organisations assess wages more fairly and consistently.

This journal article examines the health and working conditions of women tea workers in Assam, India. It looks at the challenges they face, including poor nutrition, maternal and mental health problems, unsafe working conditions and gender discrimination. It also considers how the COVID-19 pandemic made these problems worse. The article examines gaps between laws designed to protect workers and what happens in practice, and calls for stronger legal protections, better healthcare and greater opportunities for women in the tea industry.

This article examines the human rights of tea plantation workers in Sylhet, Bangladesh, and the laws meant to protect them. It looks at the poor working and living conditions faced by tea workers, particularly women, and the unequal relationship between workers and plantation owners. It also highlights the need for stronger protection of workers’ rights.

This report covers Ahmad Tea’s work to improve wages, healthcare and children’s rights in tea-growing communities. It includes profit-sharing payments to workers in India and Kenya, efforts to close the living wage gap in Sri Lanka and health and education programmes in Assam.

This report describes Finlays’ work on human rights, responsible sourcing and environmental sustainability across its tea and other beverage supply chains. It covers living wages, tea traceability and work with suppliers. Finlays reports that 75% of its global workforce received a living wage or higher in 2025 and that all its made tea and green leaf tea was traceable to a factory, garden mark or farm.

Upcoming webinar, new resources on the Knowledge Hub, Circle of Tea update and reports from the Business and Human Rights forum and…

Tea trade union effectiveness; growing gap between wages and cost of living; landrights struggles; technological advances and more.

This study looks at the mental health of women working in tea plantations in Moulvibazar, Bangladesh, and the links with their children’s wellbeing. Around a third of the 451 mothers surveyed experienced moderate to extremely severe depression, anxiety or stress while 33.9% had poor overall wellbeing. The research highlights the need for better working conditions,…

Upcoming event Tamil Nadu garment workers. Photo: ETI What does it take to make workplaces safer for women and what can tea learn from those putting this into practice? Join THIRST and guest speakers Krishanti Dharmaraj (former Trustee of THIRST and currently CEO and founder of Dignity Index Global) and Dhivya Rakini (former president of…