A New Chapter Begins on the Tea Estates

Since 1 January 2026, Chapter 4 of the Fairtrade International Generic Standard requires plantations that employ hired workers to establish and maintain a Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) system: a structured way of identifying, preventing, mitigating and accounting for risks to people and the environment arising from their operations.

For the tea estates of Sri Lanka, this new chapter is also an opportunity: a chance to deepen Fairtrade knowledge across every level of the organisation, so that strong systems rest on many shoulders and keep growing stronger as teams evolve.

With this in mind, Fairtrade NAPP brought together 44 staff members, nearly half of them women, from Bogawantalawa Tea Estates PLC, Hatton Plantations PLC, Horana Plantations PLC and Madulsima Plantations PLC at The Laa Adams Hotel in Hatton. The first day focused on risk management tools for Fairtrade Officers and certification members, while the second welcomed administrative officers and support role players for a closer look at compliance. 

HREDD Moves from Paper to Practice

Human rights due diligence can sound abstract until someone explains what it asks of an estate on an ordinary working day. Through presentations supported by translated explanations, participants worked through the five-step HREDD process, country risk mapping, the 14 key risk triggers and the reasons producer organisations are expected to run such a system, alongside an overview of EU regulations and sustainability laws that increasingly shape the tea trade. Many participants discovered that practices already in place on their estates fit within the HREDD framework; what they had been missing was the structure connecting them. That recognition made the new requirements feel achievable rather than overwhelming.

Risk Becomes Something You Can See and Measure

The most hands-on part of the training put risk assessment tools directly into participants’ hands. In practical exercises, they used the Risk Matrix, the Traffic Light System and Fairtrade International’s Excel-based risk assessment sheet to identify, score and prioritise risks, and worked through the full risk management cycle, from identification and assessment to mitigation, monitoring and remediation. Several of these tools were entirely new to the participants. Having practised them in the training room, staff can now conduct risk assessments on their own estates in coordination with senior management, instead of waiting for external support.

A Wider Circle of Fairtrade Champions

One of the most valuable gains of the two days was clarity about who does what. Dedicated sessions unpacked the roles, responsibilities and accountability structures of everyone involved in Fairtrade implementation, from Fairtrade Officers to administrative and support staff. By extending the training beyond certification officials to the wider group of role players, the programme gave every participant a clear picture of how their own work strengthens the estate’s Fairtrade journey. With knowledge and responsibility now shared across a broader team, the estates have widened their base of in-house expertise and reinforced the continuity of their Fairtrade systems for the years ahead.

Compliance Becomes a Year-Round Strength

Beyond the tools, the training built an understanding of compliance obligations, risk-based thinking and the continuous improvement principles that Fairtrade certification encourages. Participants received practical guidance on documentation, reporting and monitoring functions, and on maintaining consistent communication with the certification body, auditors and support organisations. For estate teams, this makes compliance a confident, year-round routine, strengthening estate-level governance and enriching coordination and engagement with external stakeholders.

An Early Warning on the Changing Climate

The training closed with an awareness session on climate change and its potential effects on farmers, workers, communities and sustainable agricultural practices. While introductory in nature, the session gave participants a starting point for factoring climate-related risks into the same assessment tools they had just practised, so that environmental due diligence on their estates reflects the realities the tea sector is already facing.

In Their Own Words

“We are currently carrying out certain levels of activities, but we have realized the need to implement these in a more extensive and structured manner. The Risk Management Tools were very well explained and clearly understood, and many effective tools were introduced for the first time to us. Although we were already aware of and practicing some of these tools for various purposes, it is now much clearer how they can be properly aligned with the HREDD process. This training has helped us connect practical field-level activities with formal HREDD requirements, improving our overall understanding and application.”

- Roshan Sanjeewa, Bogawantalawa Tea Estates PLC

“This special training session has been very useful for officers like us who play a supporting role in the plantations. It helped clarify key concepts and improved our understanding of how to properly implement our responsibilities in practice.”

- Anandaraj S, Madulsima Plantations PLC

The Road Ahead

The four companies now move from learning to doing. As next steps, they will establish steering committees at estate level and carry out risk assessments using the tools introduced during the training. Participants also shared thoughtful suggestions for the journey ahead, including a request for even simpler risk assessment formats, valuable feedback that Fairtrade NAPP will build on as it continues to support HREDD implementation. Due diligence is an ongoing commitment, and this training marks a confident step forward for Sri Lanka’s Fairtrade certified tea estates, with Fairtrade NAPP working alongside them as the new requirements become everyday practice.