Our Certifications
As a social enterprise we aim to create a positive economic, social and environmental impact. We believe in sustainability, fair working conditions and trade practices as well as transparency. Every day we try to get a step closer to our vision. With our third party certifications as well as our transparent supply chain we want to create trust in our products.
B Corp Certification
As an official B Corp company, Kazi Yetu is counted among businesses that are leading a global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy. In 2022 we have become certified by B Lab as having met rigorous social and environmental standards which represent our commitment to goals outside of shareholder profit. The B Corp certification is for the whole of the business and covers five key impact areas of Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers.
We value the B Corp process and community for its focus on society, environment, and governance when scoring businesses. This is 100% in line with our values as social business and how we want to reach our goals of transforming the way products are made and traded from East Africa to the world!
Anerkannter Weltladenlieferant
In 2021, Kazi Yetu became an accredited supplier of World Shops in Germany. The German Weltladen-Dachverband (umbrella organisation of World Shops) has clear criteria for its members. The foundation is the Convention of the World Shops – Criteria for the Fair Trade of Worldshops. They see Fair Trade as a trading partnership based on dialogue, transparency and respect which also strives for greater equity in international trade. Through better trade conditions and the safeguarding of social rights for disadvantaged producers and workers especially in the countries of the Global South Fair Trade contributes to sustainable development.
The convention focuses on six key areas: Trade Practices, Working Conditions, Transparency, Education and Information Work, Public Relations and Advocacy and Environmental Protection
Organic Certification
Currently we receive the ingredients for our Tanzania Tea Collection blends from over 18 different farm-suppliers, ranging from enterprises and cooperatives to smallholder farmers across Tanzania. All of them follow organic practices, but most of them do not have a third party organic certification (e.g. EU organic certification) due to scale and costs. The majority of the ones that do not have a third party certificate are at least Kilimo Hai (East African Organic Products Standard) certified. This is a peer-reviewed certification from the Tanzanian Organic Agriculture Movement.
We are currently working on getting our facility EU organic certified and hope to expand that certification to all of our suppliers. Check out our blog on how challenging the certification can be for a small enterprise.