FAQ: 2020 Farm Requirements
A detailed FAQ about the Rainforest Alliance 2020 Sustainable Agriculture Standard Farm Requirements.... Continue Reading
FAQs
Certification has had a huge impact in bringing sustainability to the forefront of business thinking, but it must continue to evolve to provide more value to farmers and companies and ensure that people and nature can thrive in harmony.
That's why the Rainforest Alliance launched its new Certification Program, which entered into force in July 2021. The Sustainable Agriculture Standard, along with its assurance and technology systems, are data-powered, and based on the principles of continuous improvement, risk-based assurance, contextualization, and shared responsibility. This is how we can deliver more value to the two million farmers and thousands of businesses that use Rainforest Alliance certification to drive more sustainable agricultural production and responsible supply chains.
At the heart of the Rainforest Alliance
The certification program is part of the Rainforest Alliance’s strategy to drive sustainability at scale in the sectors in which we operate through interconnected interventions supporting certification, tailored supply chain services, landscapes and communities, and advocacy.
What We're Working On
Strengthened Cocoa Certification Program
Key priorities of our cocoa strategy are assurance, shared responsibility, supply chain transparency, and profitability and resilience.
Risk Maps for Risk Management
How we have tailored the implementation and verification of standards requirements on child labor and forced labor to the risk exposure of each farm.
Shared Responsibility
Our shared responsibility approach aims to distribute benefits and costs of certification more evenly between farmers and companies.
Ready to Get Started?
Begin your journey of certification with the Rainforest Alliance.
Additional Resources
Early Feedback on the New Certification Program: Kyagalanyi Coffee Shares Their Implementation Experience
Find out what Ugandan coffee exporter, Kyagalanyi Coffee, had to say about the new program—from the improvements to the challenges.... Continue Reading
Learnings from the Field: Finca Esmeralda and the Future of Certified Bananas
After teaming up for an early implementation pilot of our strengthened certification program, both Finca Esmeralda and the Rainforest Alliance took away learnings that will contribute to a more sustainable banana sector.... Continue Reading
Find An Authorized Certification Body
Rainforest Alliance certification is carried out by our authorized certification bodies. Find an authorized certification body in your county.... Continue Reading
All resources for Certification
Cocoa: Origin Matching Mass Balance Timelines
Farmer poverty is an enduring issue in the cocoa sector. Our 2020 Sustainable Agriculture Standard addresses this critical issue from many angles, including the introduction of Origin Matching Mass Balance in cocoa.... Continue Reading
The Rainforest Alliance: Addressing the Challenge of Child Labor in the Coffee Sector, Latin America
The Rainforest Alliance acknowledges a recent investigative report produced by ABC News Nightline, which includes allegations of child labor found on select certified coffee farms in Chiapas, Mexico during the 2021 coffee harvest.... Continue Reading
Climate Change Mitigation
As the effects of climate change manifest around the world, the need for action grows more urgent. With 35 years of experience in sustainable agriculture and forest management, the Rainforest Alliance helps farmers adapt to climate impacts and build sustainable livelihoods while supporting companies to achieve their decarbonization goals.
Understanding End-to-End Cocoa Traceability and the MultiTrace Platform
The Rainforest Alliance is transitioning all cocoa traceability to our new digital platform MultiTrace.... Continue Reading
Policy for Rooibos Certification in South Africa
This policy applies to Rooibos certification in South Africa against the Rainforest Alliance 2020 Sustainable Agriculture Standard. It is relevant for both Certificate Holders and Certification Bodies.
Conversion Rates to Indicate Volumes in the New Rainforest Alliance Certification Program
Supply Chain Certificate Holders can use the default conversion rates of some Rainforest Alliance Certified crops in the tables below to indicate their volumes.... Continue Reading