Responsible Business Lead

The Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP) are looking for a Responsible Business Lead to join our Programmes team. The role will be reporting to the Head of Programmes.

Location: E2, near Bethnal Green (London). Hybrid, minimum 3 days in the office.

Salary: £45,000 to £50,000 per annum, depending on experience + company benefits. Permanent contract.

Hours: 37.5 hours per week (full-time), Monday to Friday.

The role

ETP's traditional focus has been on on-the-ground programmes that work directly with producers, farmers, workers, and communities to address the root causes of the challenges facing the tea sector. However, these issues are also shaped by the business practices of tea brands and retailers; these companies have a critical role to play in ensuring their operations do not inadvertently contribute to harm within the supply chain. Therefore, to achieve systemic change and share accountability across the value chain, ETP's on-the-ground programmatic work must be matched by responsible business conduct at every stage of the supply chain.

The Responsible Business Lead (RBL) will play a key role in promoting the adoption of more responsible business practices and driving alignment with Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) processes among our members and other stakeholders, to support better outcomes across the tea sector.

This role is central to ensuring that ETP takes a joined-up, holistic approach to driving change, linking work at origin with business practices at the brand and retail level.

Responsibilities

Responsible Business Conduct

• Oversee and manage the implementation of responsible business initiatives, in collaboration with the Head of Programmes andrelevant team members. This may include conducting or commissioning research.
• Collaborate with the Programmes team and M&E Lead to ensure members receiverelevant, context-specific risk information, such as country risk maps or risk profiles,to support their Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD)obligations.
• Support the Programme and Country teams in the design of new ETP programmesto ensure that they address the most significant risks in tea-producing regions and,where appropriate, integrate responsible business elements into programmatic work(e.g., responsible purchasing practices).
• Coordinate with the Programmes and Communications teams to ensure ETP'sprogrammes are effectively positioned and communicated as risk mitigation activitiesthat support members' HREDD efforts (e.g., through feeding into programmedocuments and communications assets).
• Support the development of concept notes and proposals for new responsiblebusiness initiatives, when appropriate.

ETP Membership

• Support the implementation of ETP's updated membership criteria by developingguidance on expected business practices and providing tailored support to membersthroughout the process (e.g., through check-in calls).
• Work with the Membership Manager to assess members' annual submissions againstthe criteria and offer constructive feedback to members to support continuousimprovement of their practices.
• Identify members' needs and challenges related to responsible business conduct,using these insights to shape and refine ETP's support services and engagementstrategies.

Shared learning and communications

• Develop communications materials that help explain Human Rights andEnvironmental Due Diligence (HREDD) to members, offering practicalrecommendations for them to begin implementing the OECD 6-step process.
• Monitor emerging trends, regulatory developments, and best practices in responsiblebusiness conduct. Produce concise briefings for members and the ETP teams whereappropriate.
• Collaborate with the Communications and Membership teams to identify and facilitatepeer-to-peer learning opportunities, such as webinars or workshops, focused onresponsible business and HREDD.
• Coordinate with the Communications team to write and publish thought leadershippieces and share insights from key studies, both internally and across the sector.
• Provide support for newsletters, website content, and other communication materialsas needed.

Global Tea Coalition

• Play a key role in the strategic planning and coordination of the Global Tea Coalition(GTC), working closely with the Chair to develop meeting agendas, draft meetingsummaries, and collaborate with the Executive Assistant to organise meetings.
• Represent ETP's perspective and expertise at GTC meetings, as needed, ensuringalignment with the organisation's values and objectives.
• Contribute to the ongoing strategic review of the GTC's relevance and effectiveness,helping to ensure it remains a driver of positive change across the tea sector.
• Collaborate with the Head of Finance on any potential funding streams or processesthat could promote the work of the GTC and related activities.
• Build and maintain relationships with other organisations, including standards bodies,to explore opportunities for collaboration to further ETP's objectives and enhancevalue for ETP members.
• Lead ETP's review and response to key sector developments, such as certificationstandard revisions or the publication of external studies on responsible business andprovide recommendations to support ETP's objectives.
• Represent ETP at sector events focused on responsible business conduct, sharinginsights on ETP's approach, and learning from peers and partners.

Person specification and Required skills

• Have the right to work in the UK and reside within a commutable distance to our London office in Bethnal Green.
• At least 5 years' experience in corporate social and environmental sustainability,ideally within agricultural commodity supply chains.
• Strong understanding of the tea sector or agricultural supply chains, including keyhuman rights and environmental risks.
• Familiarity with corporate sustainability standards, certifications, and internationalframeworks (e.g., UNGPs and OECD Guidelines).
• Ability to work with private sector actors and influence company leadership onsustainability issues.
• Ability to engage with senior stakeholders, to influence without authority, and tosecure buy-in to practical solutions.
• Experience designing and delivering capacity-building activities to simplify andcommunicate complex sustainability topics.
• Experience developing concept notes and proposals for new initiatives, incollaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
• Experienced in commissioning and managing third-party research projects.
• Strong communicator with the ability to produce clear, impactful reports andcommunications materials for diverse audiences.
• Collaborative team player with experience in working with international and remoteteams across functions.
• Proactive and able to work independently with minimal supervision, as well asbalancing multiple priorities with competing deadlines.
• Undergraduate degree required, post-graduate degree preferred - academicqualifications in a sustainability-related topic would be highly desirable .
• A commitment to the vision and mission of ETP, the importance of responsiblebusiness practices including HREDD, and the critical role the private sector can play in achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Only candidates with the right to work in the UK will be considered for this position. Please consider this before applying.

What we offer

• 28 days of paid holiday, excluding bank holidays
• Life insurance
• Medical insurance after 6 months
• Udemy license and other training, support, and development opportunities
• Wellbeing support, financial and legal advice, and savings and discounts through our Employee Assistance Programme
• Season ticket loans
• Cycle to work scheme

How to apply

To apply for this position, please submit your online application form through this website and ensure you include your CV (maximum 2 pages) and a cover letter (maximum of 1 page) outlining your motivation for applying and relevant experience.

Closing date for applications: 15 th of June

Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis, starting with a virtual interview as the first stage, followed by an in-person interview at our London office in Bethnal Green for shortlisted candidates.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone is valued and respected, regardless of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or any other non-merit factor.

If you have any questions about this recruitment or the position, please don't hesitate to reach out to our recruitment teamat .

At least 5 years' experience in corporate social and environmental sustainability, ideally within agricultural commodity supply chains.