Securing a better future for our 65,000+ directly contracted tobacco growers.
At JTI, we have a unique way of securing tobacco leaf. We source approximately half of our global leaf supply through directly contracted small-scale growers, with the other half also coming from direct contract, but from third-party suppliers.
We take full responsibility for the relationship with our directly contracted tobacco growers and can make a positive and measurable impact on their wellbeing and livelihoods.
JTI agronomy technicians
visits per JTI grower per crop
countries where we have leaf operations
For us, procuring tobacco responsibly is not just good business practice - it reflects our commitment to ethical, sustainable, and inclusive supply chain operations.
Our direct contracting model is rooted in a deep respect for growers. By working closely with them, we build trust, ensure fair pricing, and provide tailored agronomy support to enhance productivity and quality. This approach directly uplifts rural economies and strengthens farming communities, ensuring their prosperity and resilience.
Through direct engagement with growers and third-party suppliers, we maintain a transparent supply chain. This clarity allows us to better monitor quality, compliance, and sustainability practices, ensuring every leaf meets our high standards and aligns with our ethical values.
Our focus on agronomy, extension services, and sustainability initiatives demonstrates our commitment to robust environmental stewardship. From soil health to water conservation, we support practices that protect natural resources for future generations. This is complemented through the work we do to uphold human rights, labor standards, and implement effective governance at every step of our procurement process.
Whether directly with growers or via third-party suppliers, we want to partner with those who share our vision for ethical practices. We hold them accountable to the same high standards that we set for ourselves.
Our approach to leaf procurement is a reflection of who we are as a company: a global business that prioritizes integrity, sustainability, and respect for all stakeholders. By integrating responsible procurement into our core operations, we ensure long-term value for growers, suppliers, consumers, and the planet.
We work closely with our tobacco growers and third-party suppliers to identify and address any issues in their farming practices and sourcing methods and then encourage them to keep working towards meeting our standards over time.
A directly contracted grower is someone who has a contract with JTI to grow a customized crop with dedicated support from an Agronomy Technician. They receive a grower pack with seed, fertilizer, Crop Protection Agents, and other essential items. We then visit our directly contracted growers multiple times throughout the crop cycle to provide advice and guidance on how to become more productive and efficient in the way they grow, harvest, and cure tobacco leaf.
Tobacco leaf sourcing is a key part of our supply chain, and a critical component of future business growth. We work with our directly contracted growers and third-party suppliers to enhance security of supply and leaf provenance. This gives us greater flexibility when responding to changing market requirements.
In most cases, our third-party leaf merchants source the tobacco leaf directly from contracted growers. This means that there is a direct contract between our third-party suppliers and their growers, and that they receive advice on crop management and good labor practices.
In some countries, leaf can be sourced in a different way, at an auction (India) for example. This can make it challenging to determine the provenance of the leaf and implement our Agricultural Labor Practices. In these cases, we work with the leaf merchants and other stakeholders to find a way to implement a robust and relevant supply chain due diligence process. Although we source leaf from over 30 countries, the vast majority still comes from four key global suppliers, with whom we work closely to ensure good practices.
JTI collaborates with the ECLT Foundation, other tobacco companies, suppliers, and the International Tobacco Growers’ Association to eliminate child labor. This collaboration is essential for co-developing solutions and achieving large-scale impact.
ECLT aims to create thriving agricultural communities free of child labor through high-impact projects and technical advocacy. These efforts align with the Sustainable Tobacco Program to leverage strengths and synchronize efforts for greater impact.
Since 2011, ECLT has helped remove over 370,000 children from child labor and financially empowered over 170,000 families. Learn more about their work and impact on ECLT’s website.
35 countries in total, including both our directly contracted growers and third-party suppliers.
We require directly contracted growers and third-party leaf suppliers to implement and monitor our Agricultural Labor Practices (ALP). ALP sets out the minimum labor standards we expect to be met on farms and any non-adherence is recorded through a farm visitation program.
We also conduct Supply Chain Impact Assessments, which can identify labor related issues, if present.
In cases where our agronomy technicians identify labor-related issues, they report their observations to our local management, or directly to the growers depending on the nature of the issue.
During country-level SCDD Governance Committee meetings, we will use our 4-step framework to prepare an appropriate response and help our growers address root causes. To ensure a streamlined and consistent approach, we continuously map synergies between our SCDD process and the ALP program with the Sustainable Tobacco Program, an industry-wide platform enabling businesses to collaborate on human rights, environmental issues, and other sustainability challenges, and to encourage sustainable agriculture through a continuous improvement process.