The production of many agricultural goods—coffee, cocoa, bananas, and other fruits and vegetables—often involves risks of forced labor. Advancing the human rights of rural communities is key to our vision of a world where people and nature thrive in harmony. This includes protecting farmworkers’ rights and addressing forced labor in agriculture.
This page features information about the Rainforest Alliance's work to tackle the issue and links to all our forced labor-related content and resources.
We bring together farmers, companies, governments, and civil society organizations to collaborate for systemic change. We work to advance responsible business practices and government policy, and within our own certification program and sustainable development initiatives to advance human rights in the production landscapes where we work.
Our certification program promotes an assess-and-address approach to tackling forced labor. It focuses on prevention, engagement, improvement, and incentivizing farmers and companies to tackle this issue head on.
Download this paper for an in-depth look at the Rainforest Alliance’s position and approach to tackling forced labor.
Download this sell sheet to learn how we help companies to address forced labor and other human rights risks in their supply chains and sourcing landscapes.
Manage risk with the Rainforest Alliance child labor and forced labor sectoral risk maps
This project will provide training and engagement to at least 37,093 workers in the avocado and berry (strawberry and raspberry) sectors in Mexico and the banana and pineapple sectors in Costa Rica.
Amid Ghana’s tropical forests and lush hills, the cocoa and gold industries are booming. Ghana is the largest gold producer in Africa, and Ghana and Côte D'Ivoire account for over 60% of global cocoa production.
In the rugged hills of Turkey's Black Sea coast, hazelnut production is still mostly manual and heavily reliant on seasonal hired labor.
To tackle forced labor in the coffee industry, we must also address the social, economic and political issues that go beyond the farm. The solution will require collaboration between farmer communities, companies, civil society, governments, and others.
There is no place in either sustainable agriculture or responsible business for human rights abuses such as forced labor. This position paper first presents how the Rainforest Alliance defines forced labor and what we see as the root causes of forced labor in the agriculture sector. We then lay out the Rainforest Alliance’s approach to […]
Explore the Rainforest Alliance 2021 Annual Report! Inside you’ll meet the farmers, forest communities, businesses, and individuals who are working with us to create a world where people and nature thrive together.
Our assess-and-address approach focuses on prevention, engagement, and improvement of human rights issues, and incentivizes farmers and companies to tackle human rights issues rather than hide them.... Continue Reading
This project will provide training and engagement to at least 37,093 workers in the avocado and berry (strawberry and raspberry) sectors in Mexico and the banana and pineapple sectors in Costa Rica. ... Continue Reading
Mandatory due diligence legislation can ensure that companies identify, prevent, mitigate, and account for potential risks and negative impacts that their practices may have on human rights and the environment. ... Continue Reading
All over the world, women are the backbone of local economies and agricultural work. In fact, nearly half of all agricultural workers globally are women. ... Continue Reading