“To create a better future for people and nature by making responsible business the new normal”

Their certification program is one way they achieve this mission. By rewarding sustainable practices with certification, they encourage:

• Environmental protection like preserving forests and reducing pollution.
• Improved livelihoods for farmers and forest communities by helping them produce better crops, adapt to climate change, increase their productivity, and reduce costs.

Rainforest Alliance Certified applies to a variety of agricultural and forest-based products. This means you can find it on items that come from farms or forests that meet the organization’s sustainability standards. Below you can find some examples:

• Food products: Coffee, cocoa, tea, bananas, nuts, and many other fruits and vegetables
• Forestry products: Wood, paper products (like cardboard packaging)
• Other: Flowers, some herbs and spices

The Rainforest Alliance Certified program follows a strict set of standards focused on three key areas: social, economic, and environmental. This program is based on the 2020 Sustainable Agricultural Standard and the process to getting certified will depend on the interest party´s role in the agriculture supply chain (options are: for farmers and for companies).

What is the difference between the Sustainable Agriculture Standards vs the 2020 Certification Program?

The key difference between them is that the Sustainable Agriculture Standard defines the requirements, and the 2020 Certification Program is the whole package that includes the Standard, auditing, support, and market access for certified farms.

What is the Sustainable Agricultural Standard: Farm requirements?

It is a set of guidelines set by the Rainforest Alliance to promote environmentally friendly, socially responsible, and economically viable farming practices. Farms that meet these requirements can become Rainforest Alliance Certified.

Below is a breakdown of each:

• Social wellbeing: Fair treatment of workers, safe working conditions, and decent wages, no child or forced labor.
• Economic stability: Helping farmers improve their livelihoods through better financial planning and market access: financial stability, investment in education and training, market access for certified products.
• Environmental protection: Protecting biodiversity, conserving soil and water, and reducing pollution through responsible use of resources (reduced use of pesticides and fertilizers)

What is the Sustainable Agricultural Standard: Supply chain requirements?

It focuses on companies that buy from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms. Unlike the Farm Requirements, it doesn’t dictate farming practices directly. Instead, it aims to:

• Increase transparency: Promote clear communication and traceability throughout the supply chain.
• Encourage responsible business: Ensure companies buying certified products are committed to sustainability themselves. How is this done?
  • Supporting farmers: Buyers should provide ongoing support to certified farms to help them maintain their standards.
  • Sustainable sourcing: Companies should have policies in place to ensure they are sourcing from certified farms and not mixing certified with non-certified products.
  • Data collection: Tracking and reporting on the amount of certified products purchased helps measure the program’s impact.