Kenya ( Commonwealth Union ) _ The British owned tea estates in Kenya that provide some of the most well-known tea brands in the world have abused female workers on tea farms. The female employees who made tea for these well-known brands were forced to engage in sexual interactions with their managers in order to advance in their careers.
It is reported that at least 70 women out of 100 had endured some form of sexual harassment at work. These ladies asserted that in order to receive job opportunities, lighter workloads, or renewal of their casual employment contracts, their bosses demanded sexual favors. Some of these ladies have stated that they became pregnant or acquired HIV as a result of these sexual experiences. A supervisor is charged with raping a 14-year-old girl who resided on one of the estates’ grounds. Women who have worked for the company DRAFT have stated that they felt pressured to comply with their superiors’ requests for sex. The women named two managers and supervisors specifically, claiming they required sex in exchange for employment.
An investigation has been ordered by Kenya’s parliament into the claims of sexual abuse on tea plantations, which were made public by a BBC story. Moreover, BBC reported that the same undercover reporter went to a new recruit orientation on another plantation, where a manager gave a speech declaring the company had a zero-tolerance sexual harassment policy. The manager then recommended that they meet up that night in a hotel bar and afterwards go to his compound.
However, a well established British supermarket chain, Tesco, stated that it takes the accusations “very seriously” and is in “continuous conversation” with Finlay’s to ensure that “strong steps” are taken. Another well known supermarket chain, Sainsbury stated that “These horrifying claims have no place in our supply chain.” The Sainsbury released an updated, revised statement earlier this week stating that it would “take rigorous steps to safeguard workers” in its “tea supply chain.”
