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Responsibility
Enjoy with Confidence
Social Engagement and Responsibility – Making the World More Fair
In Germany, there are more than one million people who are socially and economically disadvantaged. Across the world, people are threatened by environmental disasters such as earthquakes and droughts, are starving, homeless. We cannot change the world all alone. But we contribute to alleviating the suffering and to creating sustainable, fairer structures.
The fourth element of our sustainability philosophy is social engagement and responsibility: the earnest, sincere and ongoing assumption of responsibility for improving the living and working conditions of people.
Simply by importing teas and ingredients, we secure jobs in the tea growing regions in the world. But secure jobs do not guarantee good working conditions. And good working conditions do not guarantee good living conditions.
We can influence a lot directly. Whether through agricultural production knowledge that we are happy to pass on, through clear codes of conduct that we define and strictly monitor compliance with, through long-term contracts and ongoing dialogue, or simply by providing spontaneous and straightforward assistance in emergency situations.
The devastating earthquake in Nepal in April 2015 is a good example of what we mean. Natural disasters like those affect the people of the region, but also us, even though we are continents apart. We know the local people they are our suppliers, our partners, and our friends. We know their jobs, workplaces, working methods, processes and commutes. When the news first reports on the suffering of the people, we already know about it, mostly through direct contact, and are already planning initial actions to take.
But apart from that: We are philanthropic merchants and are committed to being the role model of an “honourable businessman”, a reputable company. That is why we provide help during natural disasters and regularly support projects by Plan International.
Active for healthy nutrition in tea origins
As part of its ETP membership, Wollenhaupt supports the project “Healthy Diets for Tea Communities” financially for 3 years (2020-2023), which will spread better and healthier nutrition and knowledge about it in tea producing countries such as Assam, Kenya and Malawi.
Healthy Diets for Tea Communities aims to improve the diets of tea workers, farmers and their families in Kenya, Malawi and Assam State in India. Fore information about the project, visit Active for healthy nutrition in tea origins.
Project with Plan
For many years now, we have been supporting aid organizations and their projects in developing countries. And for more than twenty years, we have been partnering with Plan, an independent humanitarian and aid organisation dedicated to advancing and safeguarding the chances and rights of children worldwide. For almost 80 years, Plan has been committed to helping girls and boys live a life free of poverty, violence and injustice.
The Project: “Protect Girls and Boys from Child Labour”
We are currently working together with Plan in Tanzania. We are involved in the “Protect Girls and Boys from Child Labour” project. For the first time, we are taking on our own separate project component. “Create career prospects and income” – that is the specific goal of our 3-year project.
Sustainable fruits - Our commitment to "Fruit trees for Africa"
As part of our sustainability concept, we are cooperating with the "Fruitful Office" initiative since August 2016. With the weekly fruit baskets, we not only provide our employees with a healthy fruit snack, but also support "Fruitful Office" and its local cooperation partner RIPPLE Africa in the reforestation of fruit trees in Malawi.
The aim of this project is to especially support poor families in the creation of food and income bases. Through our commitment alone, 240 trees are planted every year. Since the beginning of our cooperation 945 trees have already been planted.
Regional and international donations
Specific. On site. Tangible. This is how we create awareness for sustainable action. And we promote this both regionally and internationally.
In our home region (Reinbek, Hamburg) we help educational and training institutions, support associations and initiatives that are committed to resource conservation, sustainable education, and environmental protection. We also do good for "Die Tafel" (food banks in Germany). Every year, our trainees donate the proceeds of the Christmas bazaar to the “Sternenbrücke” children's hospice.
Internationally, we are of course active in the tea-growing regions and the countries of origin of our ingredients. We support projects and organizations that are committed to justice and better living conditions on site. We not only help existing initiatives but are also active in the regions as part of our own large-scale projects.
Furthermore, we are spontaneous and help promptly. When our employees collected money for the people in Nepal after the earthquake in the Himalaya region, the management decided to increase the amount on the spot.