Our services

How THIRST is unique

• We focus exclusively on, and are experts in, the tea industry
• As an independent organisation in communication with actors throughout the entire tea industry and civil society, we are able to take a sector-wide view
• We have a strong understanding of the nuts and bolts of each level of the tea value chain, as well as the challenges and opportunities unique to each one
• We have developed an international network including a range of stakeholders, experts and associate consultants whose expertise we can draw upon

Services we can offer companies

• Drafting or reviewing your human rights – including gender – policies
  As mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence draws nearer; companies would be well advised to get ahead of the curve by ensuring that they already have robust policies in place.
• Conducting gender analyses
  As the recent legal cases alleging systemic sexual abuse in tea companies demonstrate, gender discrimination is a huge risk throughout the sector. Having a better understanding of the gender dynamics in your company and supply chain is an essential first step in tackling this risk. THIRST will also help to identify the systemic drivers of gender issues and advise individual companies on how to respond.
• Developing or reviewing Modern Slavery statements
  There is a high risk of modern slavery and forced labour in today’s tea sector due to increasing casualisation of labour and a trend towards greater sourcing from unregulated smallholder farmers. THIRST can help companies develop policies to substantially reduce these risks.
• Human rights-related training for your staff
  As companies come under greater pressure from international bodies, investors, consumers, and employees to respect human rights throughout their supply chains, all staff in relevant posts need to have a strong grasp of the issues and what needs to be done.
• Independent evaluation of your human rights initiatives
  CSR projects can help tea communities improve aspects of their lives. But an independent evaluation by THIRST can ensure that these initiatives are truly effective, lead to long-lasting change and therefore have a much better return on investment. We can also advise on how your company’s own operations can learn and benefit from your CSR experience.
• And much more… contact us to discuss how we can put our knowledge and expertise at your company’s service.

Services we can offer civil society

• Independent evaluation of human rights initiatives
  THIRST brings expertise in monitoring and evaluation in global supply chain contexts and can help organisations measure and understand the impact that their initiatives are having on tea workers’ and/or farmers’ lives and what improvements may be needed.
• Deepening understanding of the tea sector dynamics and human rights issues
  Organisations starting to work in the tea sector can benefit from THIRST’s deep knowledge of how human rights issues play out in the context of the sector and its complexities.
• Conducting research into critical human rights issues in the sector
  Whether it is to establish a baseline for a new initiative, or to gain a nuanced understanding of a particular set of issues in a particular area, THIRST can draw on a wide network of experts to conduct the necessary research and analysis.
• Conducting worker, farmer and community visioning workshops
  THIRST has pioneered the Tea Community Visioning Workshop methodology for a more genuine understanding of target groups’ or communities’ perspectives on the future of the tea sector and their place within it.
• Facilitating collective action on human rights issues
  Drawing on a global network of stakeholders in the tea sector and effective mediation and facilitation skills, THIRST can help coordinate joint action of groups of civil society actors for shared learning or advocacy on human rights of tea workers and farmers.
• Training civil society actors on human rights issues in the tea sector
  Both the tea industry and the human rights landscape are constantly evolving. THIRST keeps its finger on both pulses and can train NGO staff or activist group members on the theory and practice of respecting human rights of tea workers and farmers in a range of countries and contexts.
• And much more… contact us to discuss how we can put our knowledge and expertise at your organisation’s service.