Lipton’s Tea Plantations in India: Is There a Gap Between Saying and Doing in Sustainability?

Abstract

The case focuses on the conditions of tea plantations in India. It demonstrates that Unilever is facing difficult times in the Indian market and that sustainability is urgent. Furthermore, it describes the way in which Unilever provides sustainable solutions. The Scotsman Thomas Lipton founded the brand Lipton in 1850. Today, Lipton is the registered trademark of Unilever, one of the world’s largest tea companies. In addition, Lipton’s tea plantation in Kericho, Kenya, was the first tea plantation in the world to be certified by the Rainforest Alliance®.