FAQ: 2020 Farm Requirements
A detailed FAQ about the Rainforest Alliance 2020 Sustainable Agriculture Standard Farm Requirements.
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.
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.
Find An Authorized Certification Body
Rainforest Alliance certification is carried out by our authorized certification bodies. Find an authorized certification body in your county.
All resources for Certification
Exception Policy on Living Wage in Ecuador
The Rainforest Alliance has authorized the Exception Policy on the Living Wage Matrix in Ecuador, since it considers that the requirements of the Ecuadorian Legislation and the procedures to comply with the Living Wage exceed the requirements indicated in the Sustainable Agriculture Standard for farms and Chain Supply, therefore: a. It is authorized that Annex […]
2020 Rules for Certification Bodies
The Rainforest Alliance manages, and is responsible for, a global Assurance System for Certification Bodies.
Opinion: Child Labor Is on the Rise; Here’s How to Prevent It
Child labor must stop but it is a complex issue with different social, economic, and political causes.
No Double Selling Declaration
This No Double Selling Declaration has to be signed by the Certificate Holder before the audit for combined and integrated audits as defined in Rule 3 of Annex AR10.
Have Your Say: Stakeholder Consultation in the Flower Sector
In the spirit of continuous improvement that is at the core of our Certification Program, we aim to maintain close dialogue with our stakeholders on how specific areas of our program are applied.... Continue Reading
What Shared Responsibility Means for the Coffee Sector
We believe that creating truly sustainable global supply chains requires a shared responsibility approach so that the costs and benefits of certification are more evenly distributed between farmers and buyers along the supply chain. ... Continue Reading