Based on an evaluation of the organization’s current state and recent initiatives, the areas listed below
have been identified as being in need of improvement based on the triple-bottom-line framework and B
Corp Certification requirements.
Governance
A more formal structure or stakeholder group is needed to review social and environmental
performance regularly and accurately.
Workers
Employee pay is low, both for hourly and salaried employees.
Attrition rates are high, resulting in a significant loss of company resources.
Employees lack the autonomy to shut down unsafe practices and processes.
Required trainings are frequent, but professional development for growth is very limited in both
opportunities and funding.
Community
The organization needs to regularly screen and evaluate suppliers for social and environmental
impact, not just when an initial partnership is begun.
The majority of materials used to grow, manufacture, ship, and sell the tea are not locally
sourced.
Environment
Although some supplying farms do have some sustainable practices in place, not all facilities and
practices are designed to restore or preserve the environment.
Most energy sources, especially energy sources for domestic locations, are not renewable.
The organization has not conducted any kind of environmental assessment since 2010, and that
assessment was only conducted to identify areas of opportunity, not for certification.
Cost and time are prioritized in shipping, resulting in the inefficient use of transportation and a
high carbon footprint.
Customers
Quality control is conducted randomly, but isn’t an ingrained part of the workflow process.
There are no product guarantees available to customers.
Customer feedback is primarily collected through online reviews of purchased products or sales
locations, rather than customer surveys.
The following areas have been identified as being strengths of the organization based on the TBL
framework and B Corp Certification requirements:
Governance
The organization’s mission, vision, code of ethics, and culture statement strongly support
sustainable, ethical practices.
The organization has identified key goals and metrics to monitor and evaluate sustainable
business practices.
Workers
Employees are very content with benefits.
Job-related training is thorough and frequent.
There are established employee feedback programs with high rates of engagement.
Community
The organization is very diverse in its workforce, and employees report feeling safe and
respected at work.
There are clear, measurable goals to continue growing diversity and inclusion throughout the
organization.
The organization has set key requirements for its outsourced workforce, although regular
evaluations are lacking.
The organization provides incentives and sets goals for suppliers regarding socially responsible
and environmentally friendly business practices.
Environment
The supply chain has been evaluated by a reputable third-party company.
Environmentally sustainable water conservation and treatment practices are a strength of the
organization and its suppliers, also benefiting many of the rural communities’ surrounding farms
and manufacturing facilities.
Packaging is recyclable and minimal, despite frequent requests to change it to a shiny foil
packaging
