Impact

Protecting Plants, Cultivating Communities

We are not just in the business of tea. We are in the business of change—changing lives, changing communities, and changing the quality of herbal remedies.

Since our inception in 1974, we have infused sustainability into every aspect of our operations, from sourcing and packaging to distribution and voluntary certifications. This may cost more of our time and resources, but we believe it’s the right way to do business. While we are proud of our progress, there is still much more to accomplish. Your conscious choice allows us to continue this important work.

The progress of our positive impact:

98.9%

Percentage of our botanical raw ingredients certified organic

100%

All of our teas are Non-GMO Project Verified

47%

Increase (by weight) in the botanicals sourced with Fair Trade or FairWild certification in 2014

100%

All of our electricity comes from renewable resources

950

Number of students receiving an education through five schools we’ve built in Rajasthan, India

367

Number of bicycle scholarships given to students in Rajasthan, India to provide transportation to school

3,100

Number of people we have helped provide water security for through the installation of 510 water catchment and storage devices in Rajasthan, India

$949,000

Amount of contributions made to domestic and international non-profit organizations in 2012, 2013 and 2014

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Changing Lives for Women & Girls

See how our water security interventions in the senna-growing villages of India’s Thar Desert are removing obstacles to empowerment for women and girls.

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Helping Girls Ride to New Futures

See how bicycles are helping to rewrite the destinies of girls in the senna-growing communities of Rajasthan, India.

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Changing the world, one mindful step at a time

Today, sustainability serves at the heart of our ethos. Not only do we seek out organically farmed or wild-collected herbs, but we also consider the long-term impact of doing business in the communities we source from. By voluntarily conforming to strict Fair Trade or FairWild certification guidelines, we help create economic stability with fair compensation and regular jobs in the areas we collect. As a result, we are able to help preserve the culture of the local people, provide opportunities for future generations, and secure our access to some of the finest quality plants on the planet for years to come.

Our teas have a conscience. We’re committed to sourcing botanical ingredients that are produced according to rigorous sustainability standards, including criteria for measuring ecological, economic and social sustainability.

We’re proud to work with the following sustainability standards:

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Walking the talk

With so many companies jumping on the environmental bandwagon, words like “sustainability” begin to lose their meaning. That is why being authentic and walking our talk has been critical to us since our humble beginnings, calling us to minimize waste, prevent pollution, and conserve resources. Find out what we’re doing to minimize our carbon footprint, from our EPA SmartWay® Certified company vehicles to our solar- and geo-thermal-powered manufacturing plant.

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Reporting our progress annually

Our innovative, social business model is rooted in the sustainable sourcing of over 100 botanicals from more than 30 countries, helping to ensure the survival of healing plants around the world. For you, this means every product you purchase not only supports your own well-being, but the well-being of our environment and the men and women who gather our precious herbs. It’s not enough to talk about our accomplishments, though—they need to be measured and reported to the agencies that certify us. Since 2012, we have released the Traditional Medicinals Sustainability & Benefit Corporation Annual Report to show our progress from year to year.

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We’re in the business of better

How do you tell the difference between good companies and good marketing? It starts by walking our talk and aligning our ethics with those organizations that measure high standards.

In 2010, we became a Certified B Corp by implementing rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. In 1992, we joined Green America’s Green Business Network™ of socially and environmentally responsible businesses.

Learn more about our commitment to using business as a tool for positive change.

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We're all in this together

Ensuring the future of plants is not something we can do alone. That’s why for years now we’ve been supporting and collaborating with those who are making the biggest impact on our environment.

After more than 30 years of fighting for organic integrity, CCOF continues to certify, educate, advocate, and promote organ

As the first U.S. consumer packaged goods company to promote the use of FairWild® certified herbs, we have been a proud participant in the FairWild trading system since 2007.