Ceylon Tea Quality Certificate - Quality Management System

Introduction

Ceylon Tea Quality Certificate has been designed for tea factories in Sri Lanka. It was designed to educate the tea manufactures of Sri Lanka in the correct methodology of manufacturing tea productively, hygienically and ethically, keeping there workforces disciplined, educated and motivated.

It was also designed at a time the European Union informed Sri Lanka that it needs third party certifications in food safety in relation to tea. This requirement from the European Union created a demand for Food Safety Management from tea manufactures. Numerous consultants and consultancy firms came into being as a result and each one gave differing advice to various tea manufactures, often without considering the ground realities or traditional practices of Sri Lankan tea industry. This situation made many tea manufactures confused in the real requirements in Food Safety Management pertaining to tea. What were really required were good Agricultural Practices in the field and Good Manufacturing and Good Hygienic Practices in tea factories. The Ceylon Tea Quality Certificate originally known as 'Sri Lanka Tea Board 5S system' where the Japanese 5S system was adopted to the conditions of Sri Lankan tea factories. With the advent of the requirement for Food Safety Management, the 'Sri Lanka Tea Board 5S system' was upgraded to the Ceylon Tea Quality Certificate with the addition of good practices such as Manufacturing, Hygiene, Productivity and Ethical. The system culminates in Total Quality Management or TQM.

The Ceylon Tea Quality Certificate is a rating system where five steps, each depicting a good practice is denoted with a star symbol. The star is used as a symbol of excellence. Thus, the five steps of the Ceylon Tea Quality certificate are marked with star symbols as follows:

1. Excellence in Good Organizing Practices - One Star Rating

2. Excellence in Good Manufacturing Practices - Two Star Rating

3. Excellence in Good Hygienic Practices - Three Star Rating

4. Excellence in Good Productivity and Ethical Practices - Four Star Rating.

5. Excellence in Total Quality Management - Five Star Rating

The Five Star Rating is the Presidential Award for Excellence in Quality Management, where, the recipients will be honourd for their dedication to quality by the President of Sri Lanka.

With the adoption of Ceylon Tea Quality Certificate in Sri Lankan tea factories it is hoped that they would be converted into centers of excellence in tea manufacture, conforming to all international standards.