UKTIA Joins Climate Action for Associations

16th Mar '26 - UKTIA

London, UK – [16 March 2026] – The United Kingdom Tea & Infusions Association (UKTIA) is delighted to join the Climate Action for Associations (CAFA) Collective. CAFA is the resource and network dedicated to sustainability and net zero for the membership sector. CAFA provides the resources, guidance, and peer-to-peer network that membership organisations need to show leadership, take accountability and implement action internally, and with their members. CAFA’s job is to enable all types of membership organisations, regardless of size, location or industry to speed up aligned action. They are a non-profit with 120+ members representing more than 400 membership organisations covering 500k+ businesses and c. 5 million professionals, spread across multiple sectors and systems areas such as healthcare, transport, reuse and recycling, construction, manufacturing, professional services, agriculture, and other sectors. The organisation is a proud partner and advocate for the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi), BSI, ISO, and InfluenceMap, working on supporting membership organisations with their sustainability engagement and resources, internal emissions, as well as policy engagement.

For decades, UKTIA has championed the sector by promoting tea and herbal infusions, telling their unique stories, providing technical, scientific and regulatory expertise, and supporting education on health, taste, hydration, origins, varieties and sustainability. The organisation also plays a central role in fostering cooperation on non?competitive industry issues and ensuring consumers and stakeholders understand the value and heritage behind these globally significant beverages.

Why this partnership matters
Climate change poses significant risks to tea?growing regions and the long?term security of global tea supply. To support a resilient future for the sector, UKTIA is committed to driving credible and consistent climate action across the UK tea industry. By adopting Science Based Targets (SBTs), members can strengthen supply?chain resilience and align their climate strategies with internationally recognised pathways. UKTIA will support its members to develop, adopt and validate SBTi?aligned targets, helping ensure the industry is equipped to address climate risks proactively. This leadership will position UKTIA members at the forefront of sustainable tea production globally and ensure the sector contributes meaningfully to global climate goals.

By joining CAFA, UKTIA will be able to further elevate its role in supporting climate leadership across membership bodies. This partnership will enable UKTIA to share perspectives from a sector deeply connected to land, agriculture and global supply networks, helping shape best practice for associations responding to climate risk, environmental change and sustainability expectations from consumers, regulators and businesses.

Collaborating for climate action
Through this collaboration, CAFA will provide UKTIA with access to cross?sector peer networks, practical sustainability tools, and guidance on embedding climate?aligned governance and emission?reduction strategies. Together, CAFA and UKTIA will work to strengthen the understanding of environmental impacts across tea and herbals supply chains, support members in their sustainability journeys, and promote evidence?based communication grounded in scientific, technical and regulatory expertise.

For UKTIA, this partnership opens new pathways to contribute its unique sectoral knowledge to a wider association ecosystem and to accelerate climate action that supports producers, businesses and consumers alike.

We look forward to working closely with CAFA to champion sustainability across the tea and herbal infusions sector and to support meaningful climate progress across the wider association community.

“UKTIA is proud to join CAFA and contribute the perspective of a sector built on agriculture, heritage and global connection. Our industry understands first-hand the importance of sustainability and we are committed to supporting our members as they navigate environmental challenges with transparency, science and integrity.” Dr Sharon Hall, UKTIA Chief Executive.

CAFA added: “We are delighted that UKTIA have joined CAFA. In the short time since UKTIA has joined, the organisation has already demonstrated remarkable ambition, and an evident commitment to promoting science-aligned climate action across the tea & infusions sector. There is clear opportunity for collaboration on climate risk, emissions measurement, policy engagement, and GHG reductions across the sector and its supply chain, in areas such as FLAG, transport and packaging, which are key issues across the CAFA Collective. We are proud to count such an ambitious organisation as one of our members and excited at the prospect of working together."

Find out more about CAFA here: https://www.climateactionforassociations.org/