A tea worker in Kenya was infected with HIV after being forced to have sex with her manager. Another was let go unless she agreed to a manager’s sexual demands.

There are at least 70 more stories like this, and they happened under the management of two top suppliers: Unilever and Finlays. They supply the likes of Lipton, Starbucks, Sainsbury’s, and Tesco.

So far the companies are hoping this problem will magically disappear, but we can be the thorn in their side and make sure these women receive the justice and compensation they deserve, and that there is no more sexual abuse in the tea supply chain.

This will only work if thousands of us pile on. Add your name and share widely. 

An undercover reporter from the BBC attended a Finlays job interview held in a hotel room in Kenya where the recruiter pinned her against the window and told her to undress. This recruiter has worked at the Finlays plantation for more than 30 years and had been flagged to Finlays as a predator by several women. He was only fired after the BBC investigation. 

Meanwhile, Unilever has known of the abuses against tea workers for several years now, and did nothing meaningful to stop it.

There are at least 70 women whose stories have been told and who deserve justice, but there are countless others that we will never hear from.

But by sounding the alarm and demanding action on their behalf, we can force the companies to act. And since these companies source tea from multiple countries, we can help ensure tea workers across the globe receive the same protection.

Add your name and share this with friends and family — let’s make our call for justice and protection impossible to ignore. 

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