Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate honoured with Queen’s Award for Enterprise

The family business is one of 24 companies in the Yorkshire and Humber region to receive the accolade – one of the UK’s most prestigious business awards – for its work to integrate sustainability, collaboration, and resilience into the heart of its tea and coffee supply chain through its unique sourcing approach.

Best known for Yorkshire Tea and Taylors Coffee, as well as its Bettys Café Tea Rooms, Bettys & Taylors has a global tea and coffee supply chain which works with more than one million farmers and workers in 22 countries.

This latest award recognises the continuous progress made over the last five years to further strengthen and embed the business’ sourcing approach whilst working alongside suppliers, partners, and the wider industry to understand and address social and environmental challenges through investment in sustainability projects that benefit suppliers and their communities.

Keith Writer, Supply Director at Taylors, said: “Over the last five years we’ve relentlessly focused on securing quality tea and coffee working in partnership with our suppliers on the social and environmental issues they face alongside addressing the systemic challenges across the tea and coffee supply chain through industry initiatives.

"The strength of these relationships proved especially valuable in helping us to provide stability, constancy, and support to our suppliers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"We acknowledge there is always more to do, however we are honoured to be recognised for our ongoing efforts.

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Since 2017, the business has supported 168 projects in 15 countries.

Initiatives include working with suppliers on estates in India, Nicaragua and Malawi to install sanitation and clean water systems and improve working and living conditions, and numerous education projects for women and children.

One such project provides bursaries and meals to help children get the most out of their time at school has now reached 11,000 children.

In coffee communities in Uganda, 5,790 women have received training in business management, entrepreneurial, literacy and financial skills.

The business has also continued to support tree planting partnerships, working with smallholder farmers in its tea supply chain in Kenya through TIST (The International Small Group and Tree Planting Programme).

To date, the partnership has planted nearly three million trees with over 8800 farmers – sequestering carbon and providing valuable secondary incomes, along with shade and food.

The family-owned business has a long commitment to trading responsibly, having previously been granted a Queen’s Award in 2001 and 2007, in recognition of its commitment to sustainable stakeholder relationships.

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Most recently, the business received a Queen’s Award in 2017 for its unique Taylors Sourcing Approach, which works to improve standards throughout its tea and coffee supply chain, as well as through community and environmental social impact projects to support the long-term sustainability of its suppliers and future generations.

Keith added: "This Award in the year of Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee inspires us to drive for greater impact to ensure a thriving, sustainable future for all our tea and coffee-growing communities around the world.”

Now in their 56th year, the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are presented in four categories – International Trade, Innovation, Sustainable Development and Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility.

The winners are selected under strict judging criteria, against significant competition and awards are made each year by the Queen, on the advice of the Prime Minister and her panel of judges.

The winners are announced on Her Majesty The Queen’s birthday, April 21, and the awards are valid for five years.

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