Unilever recently announced that it would begin certifying tea under its Lipton brands as sustainable through the Rainforest Alliance. Ostensibly, this is part of a larger commitment to eventually source all of its tea from sustainable and ethical sources. Unilever has been engaged in strategic ‘green’ thinking for some time, but does the decision to certify Lipton tea indicate that the differentiation advantage available to otherwise commodity products such as tea through independent certification has become a real priority, or is it an incremental effort designed to leverage the marketability of a green image? Initially the certification will apply only to select brands such as Lipton Yellow Label, and will be limited to European markets, with the addition of North American markets by 2015. However, as the world’s largest tea brand, Lipton could have significant impact in encouraging sustainable practices.
Currently the Rainforest Alliance certifies coffee, bananas, citrus, cocoa, and flowers. The Unilever initiative underscores the importance for corporations to leverage NGO accountability and reputation, as well as the ability for corporations to help NGOs develop capacity.
The Rainforest Alliance uses a peer-review process when performing its certification, and leverages a network of independent NGOs operating in agricultural sectors. Its certification standards are available on their website, however it is not clear how often certification must be renewed.
May 30, 2007 at 5:59 am |
i wonder will this affect the taste of the tea? i guess minimal. i drink my tea with loose leaf tea. I get a lot of flavor from it. if i m in hurry i get stash tea bags or lipton but for full leaf i go for http://www.teacuppa.com or http://www.imperialtea.com
June 4, 2007 at 5:09 am |
Sue, if you are really wondering whether the flavuor will change, there is an answer on Lipton’s http://www.liptonforthefuture.com – website:
Q. What will change in the taste of my cup of tea once it gets certified?
A: Nothing will change. We take great care to make sure that the same high quality and taste is delivered consistently to our consumers. We have asked our main suppliers to become certified by the Rainforest Alliance to ensure that we will be buying the same high quality tea we buy now.