SereniTEA x Coffee Commune: The Importance of Fair Trade
In today’s interconnected world, where our choices as consumers have far-reaching consequences, supporting fair and ethical practices is crucial. Organisations such as Fairtrade Australia and New Zealand (Fairtrade ANZ) exist to ensure decent working conditions for workers in developing countries, and invests directly in their communities.
Consumers are continuously growing more conscious of the importance of the working being completed by organisations such as Fairtrade ANZ. According to the ‘Fairtrade America Globescan 2021 report’, 80% of consumers would feel more positively about a brand if it started carrying the Fairtrade Mark. Shoppers are buying Fairtrade products regularly, and prefer that most products have this Fairtrade Mark.
This issue is at the core of SereniTEA’s purpose, an Australian owned company that sells a premium selection of Organic and Fairtrade certified teas. Conceived in 2009 by a mother and son combination, SereniTEA grew forth from an idea to create a brand that would promote peace and health in both the way it was sold, and inherently in the product itself.
SereniTEA is committed to Fairtrade certification, with all our blends being Fairtrade certified, meaning our entire supply chain, including packers, our own business, and any tea plantation we source from, is audited on an annual basis to ensure high labour standards and no slavery or child labour takes place. It is estimated that more than 27 million people are trapped in forced labour worldwide, and our Fairtrade certification ensures compliance with Australia’s increased mandates around vigilance to Modern Slavery standards in the global supply chain.
There are three levers as part of the standard:
Minimum Price Guarantee: Ensures small-scale producers especially are not subject to volatility in the market.
Fairtrade Premium: A portion of all purchases are paid back to a workers fund of each plantation they buy from, ensuring connection and empowerment in the supply chain.
Social Standards: The standard is a rigorous and multi-faceted auditing and compliance procedure to ensure labour standard in our supply chain is what we are used to in Australia. By way of highlighting in brief, the standard ensures freedom from discrimination, forced or compulsory labour or child labour, high levels of occupational health and safety, worker’s employment rights including freedom of association and collective bargaining agreements, agreements for capacity and awareness building to improve workers livelihoods.
Addition measures SereniTEA take to ensure sustainable practices include:
Organic Certification: We are 100% Organic Certified (Biodiversity, Soil Quality & People)
1% For the Planet: SereniTEA joined this program in 2022 for their Zoetic branded products, and it ensures that 1% of sales are donated to eco-charities in Australia. The SereniTEA range will transition to 1% for the planet in this financial year.
Packaging: A focus on reduced environmental impact in their packaging products (such as compostable Pyramid Bags and envelopes). By 2024, SereniTEA endeavours to be plastic free in their entire range of products.
The Coffee Commune is excited to partner with SereniTEA – not only for their fantastic products, but also for their efforts in their sustainability efforts in everything they do!
If you’re a café owner or coffee roaster that’s in need of a high quality, sustainable tea brand, contact the SereniTEA team today!
SereniTEA – A Work of Art
(03) 9457 7704