2020 Rules for Certification Bodies
The Rainforest Alliance manages, and is responsible for, a global Assurance System for Certification Bodies.
Policies and rules
February 3, 2022
Binding Documents
Binding Documents are a set of standards, policies and rules that are applicable to different actors in the Rainforest Alliance’s programs, depending on the type of activity the actor is engaged in, as set forth in an organization's license agreement with the Rainforest Alliance.
These Binding Documents include the following documents and categories of rules: License Agreement Terms and Conditions, certification standards and rules, traceability rules, labeling rules, and online platform terms and conditions.* View additional business updates and information on the Knowledge Hub.
*Note: All actors that are part of either cocoa program and any actors interested in using the new Rainforest Alliance seal must also sign a License Agreement (2020 Version) with Rainforest Alliance.
Binding Documents by type
Certification Binding Documents
Certification Program
Farms and companies certified to the following standard can find applicable binding documents:
- Rainforest Alliance Certification Program (2020 Certification Program)
Additional Binding Documents
Labels & Traceability
Farms and companies that are selling, labeling or claiming products as Rainforest Alliance Certified or using the Rainforest Marks can find applicable binding documents by clicking the following links:
Terms & Conditions
The Knowledge Hub: Your go-to place for version 1.4 content
Version 1.4 of the Sustainable Agriculture Standard, along with its supporting documents and the Certification and Auditing Rules, have been published on the Knowledge Hub.
All resources for Binding Documents
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.
Policy Water Permit Requirements Costa Rica
This policy is to provide interpretation of the requirements in the context of Costa Rica law and regulatory processes on the respective requirements for water extractions until the conditions are favorable to obtain the necessary documentation required for water extraction and use.
Policy on Remote Audits
With the intent to facilitate an easy transition to the new certification program, the Rainforest Alliance Transition Rules allows all supply chain audits completed in the period from 1st July 2021 to 30th June 2022 to be conducted remotely. For farm certificate holders, onsite auditing in the farm context remains important. However, considering the continuous […]
Fee Catalogue for Certification Bodies
The Rainforest Fee Catalogue describes the fees applicable to Certification Bodies according to Section 1.6, Assurances Costs of the Rules for Certification Bodies.
Annex S02: Management Capacity Assessment Tool
As outlined in the Farm Requirements of the 2020 Sustainable Agriculture Standard, this Annex is to be used by groups of small farms to identify the areas to strengthen management capacities.