The London Tea Exchange & The Global Fair Pay Charter
How SMEs Can Enact Global Change
Webinar
Never miss a recording again; click here subscribe to Z/Yen's YouTube account .
The speaker introduces Sheikh Aliur Rahman, the creator of the Global Fair Pay Charter and the operator of the London Tea Exchange. The Charter aims to improve the pay and living conditions of tea plantation workers globally and was launched in May of this year as a joint effort between the United Nations Institute for Training and Research and the London Tea Exchange. The goals of the Charter are to educate consumers, build relationships with tea-producing countries, and engage with international NGOs to implement long-term solutions. Aliur explains that the Charter is based on simple principles like the elimination of child labor and the provision of decent wages. He contrasts the Charter with fair trade, noting that while fair trade is beneficial, it doesn't always guarantee fair pay for workers. Aliur's experience visiting tea estates in 1999 led him to create a fair pay program, which evolved into the Charter. The Charter aims to create a logo to help consumers identify products made with fair pay practices. Studies have shown that consumers are willing to pay a small amount extra to ensure workers receive fair wages. Since the Charter's launch, millions have received pay rises, and several countries are considering signing up. The UN is also considering making the fair pay charter into a new sustainable development goal by 2030. Aliur encourages individuals and companies to ask questions about pay in the supply chain and to educate the world about fair pay. He also discusses the history of the London Tea Exchange and the challenges he faces, including threats to his safety, due to his work promoting fair pay. He also mentions that approximately 120 million people are in the tea industry globally, and the average pay when he started was less than a dollar a day. He also mentions that the Fair Pay Charter has created a foundation, the Fair Pay Foundation, which will now take up the task of doing monitoring where they are increasing pay.
Background: Tune in to listen to a discussion on how a small London based business, renowned globally amongst tea connoisseurs and collectors for its rare and premium teas, has managed to positively impact the pay of millions working in the industry around the world.
Speaker:
Sheikh Aliur Rahman OBE is the Chief Executive of the London Tea Exchange, a premier luxury tea merchant with one of the world’s largest collections of rare teas. His expertise in investment, especially in large-scale projects across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, has positioned him as an advisor for high-profile clients globally. Aliur's passion for tea led him to expand the London Tea Exchange, now a highly respected name in the global luxury tea market, serving tea connoisseurs and even royalty. Aiming to put Bangladesh on the map, Aliur has developed “Golden Bengal,” an exclusive tea he hopes to launch as the world’s most expensive tea, promoting Bangladesh on a global stage.
Beyond business, Aliur’s impact extends into philanthropy, especially with his “Global Fair Pay Charter,” a fair-pay initiative presented to the United Nations and backed by the Commonwealth Secretariat. His efforts have already improved wages for millions globally, with a goal to reach over 600 million people. Honored with numerous awards, including the OBE for services to the tea industry and young people, Aliur’s dedication to both commerce and community is evident in his awards and recognitions. In 2023, he was appointed as a United Nations Ambassador for Fair Pay, continuing his mission to make fair wages a global standard.
Speaker(s):
-
Sheikh Aliur Rahman OBE
Chief Executive
London Tea Exchange
Chairman:
-
Professor Michael Mainelli
Chairman
Z/Yen Group