Our company

Our company

We can make a positive change

JTI is the tobacco business of the JT. The company manufactures and sells several well-known tobacco products in more than 130 countries.

Much of JTI’s tobacco is grown in developing countries where rural economies are less developed and where communities are highly dependent on agriculture. These communities often suffer from poor living conditions as well as limited access to basic health care, sanitation and education. JTI’s Agricultural Labor Practices program aims to improve the work environment of farmers by creating fairer working conditions, enhancing their wellbeing as well as their families’, and helping them secure a sustainable income from tobacco. The Company applies stringent business ethics standards to its suppliers and has specific labor practice standards for its tobacco leaf growers. These standards are based on the conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and outline the company’s stance against child labor as well as measures to eliminate its occurrence. JTI is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and has more than 46,000 employees globally. 

For more information about JTI, please visit jti.com

JTI in action with ARISE

JTI provides funding for ARISE activities and coordinates and manages the partners, finance, budgets and program administration. The company has extensive presence in the field and JTI Agronomy Technicians play a key role. They are on the front-line educating farmers about child labor, responding to families’ questions and overseeing the implementation of JTI’s Agricultural Labor Practices. They play a key role in mapping and identifying opportunities for ARISE initiatives because of their specific local knowledge about the social needs of tobacco-growing communities. They support decision-making about which community and which initiative is appropriate and support the ILO when it is performing rapid assessments. JTI also coordinates the alignment to and collaboration with other JTI programs.

“In terms of addressing child labor, experience has taught us to focus on its root causes via a holistic approach, addressing working conditions, increasing grower incomes, and modernizing agriculture. This is where our program ARISE comes in, our dedicated initiative to respond to child labor risks and provide children with access to education.“

Charlie Watson
Human Right Director, JTI

WHAT WE DO

Our activities

Our activities aim to address the underlying root causes of child labor in the tobacco industry.

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WHERE WE WORK

Brazil, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Ethiopia and Bangladesh

We reach thousands of children and their families.

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WHO WE ARE

An innovative partnership

We are a partnership of the private and public sector, and our skills and expertise complement each other in our mission.

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ARISE aims to end child labor in communities where JTI sources tobacco leaf. We work with those directly affected and with others who have the power to change things. Our initiatives are developed and delivered in collaboration with tobacco-growing communities, social partners and governments.

JTI JTI ARISE