About
OVERVIEW
Our logo assures you that
products contain ingredients or materials from sustainably-managed farms and forests that protect wildlife and the environment and ensure the well-being of workers and their communities.
The social impact statements that most closely apply to our organization's mission statement
Economic empowerment and value, Quality of life in the community, Preserving tradition and cultural legacies, Energy conservation, Eco-friendly production, Environmental conservation, Animal welfare, Species preservation
Our organization screens
Raw materials
How often our organization monitors compliance of our standards
Annual, At random
How our organization monitors compliance of our standards
On-site audit
Our mission statement
The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior.
The history of our organization
The Rainforest Alliance was established in 1987 to bring together partners in the global North and South to address the pressing issue of rainforest loss. The founders took a radical approach: instead of boycotting the tropical products responsible for rainforest destruction, they would engage businesses and the people who work the land to protect rainforests and create sustainable livelihoods for forest-dwelling communities. Today, the mission of the Rainforest Alliance is to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. For more information, see our timeline: http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/about.cfm?id=timeline
Our organization's standards for producers, products, or sellers
Rainforest Alliance Certified? farms meet some 200 criteria and indicators, organized under the following ten principles:
1. Agricultural activities are planned, monitored and evaluated
2. Ecosystem Conservation ? farmers promote conservation and recuperation of ecosystems on and neat the farm
3. Wildlife Protection ? concrete measures are taken to protect biodiversity, especially threatened and endangered species and their habitats
4.Water Conservation ? all pollution and contamination is controlled and waterways are protected with vegetative barriers
5.Fair Treatment and Good Working Conditions for Workers ? Agriculture should improve the well-being and standards of living for farmers, workers and their families.
6. Occupational Health and Safety ? Working conditions are safe and workers are provided with the appropriate training and equipment to carry out their activities.
7. Community Relations ? Farms must be good neighbors to nearby communities
8. Integrated Crop Management ? Farmers employ Integrated Pest Management techniques and strictly control the use of any agrochemicals to protect the health and safety of workers, communities and the environment.
9. Soil Management and Conservation - Erosion is controlled and soil health and fertility should be maintained and enriched where possible
10. Integrated Waste Management ? Farmers have a waste management program to reduce, reuse and recycle whenever possible and properly manage all wastes.
Companies that sell or trade in products from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms earn the right to use our green frog seal on their packaging.
The Rainforest Alliance also certifies forestry operations to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), an independent organization. Forests that earn FSC certification through the Rainforest Alliance meet the FSC?s 56 social and environmental criteria organized under the following ten principles:
1. Compliance with all applicable laws and international treaties
2. Demonstrated and uncontested, clearly defined, long?term land tenure and use rights
3. Recognition and respect of indigenous peoples' rights
4. Maintenance or enhancement of long-term social and economic well-being of forest workers and local communities and respect of worker?s rights in compliance with International Labour Organisation conventions
5. Equitable use and sharing of benefits derived from the forest
6. Reduction of environmental impact of logging activities and maintenance of the ecological functions and integrity of the forest
7. Appropriate and continuously updated management plan
8. Appropriate monitoring and assessment activities to assess the condition of the forest, management activities and their social and environmental impacts
9. Maintenance of High Conservation Value Forests those with environmental and social values that are considered to be of outstanding significance or critical importance.
Forestry operations and forest products companies that earn FSC certification through the Rainforest Alliance earn the right to use our green frog seal in addition to the FSC logo.
How we developed our standards
Rainforest Alliance Certified farms meet the standards of the Sustainable Agriculture Network, a coalition of leading conservation groups. All standards and criteria were developed with active stakeholder involvement through a public consultation process. The standards development processes comply with the International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labeling (ISEAL) [www.isealalliance.org] Alliance Code of Good Practice for Setting Social and Environmental Standards.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards for Forest Management and Chain-of-Custody certification are developed by a diverse group of representatives from environmental and social groups, the timber trade and the forestry profession, indigenous people's organizations, responsible corporations, community forestry groups and forest product certification organizations from around the world. The FSC accredits independent certifying bodies such as the Rainforest Alliance who conduct evaluations and award certification to compliant organizations. The FSC is the only forest certification system recognized by the ISEAL Alliance to follow best-practices in standard setting.
Summary of our process for screening new producers, products, or sellers
To become Rainforest Alliance Certified, farms are audited against some 200 criteria and indicators [http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/programs/agriculture/certified-crops/standards_2008.html]. Farms must comply with at least 50% of each principle?s criteria, and with 80% of all criteria, including 14 critical criteria, which are essential for earning certification. Companies trading or selling crops from certified farms must demonstrate traceability back to the farm. For more information, go to our Web site [www.rainforest-alliance.org/agriculture].
Forestry operations seeking Forest Stewardship Council through the Rainforest Alliance must meet the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) [http://www.fsc.org/en/about/policy_standards]. The Rainforest Alliance is the world?s leading FSC-accredited forest management certifier. Companies trading or selling products from FSC-certified forests must register for FSC Chain-of-Custody certification and demonstrate they can trace their products back to certified forests. For more information, go to our Web site [www.rainforest-alliance.or/forestry].
How we regularly monitor compliance of our standards
Farms and forestry operations are audited annually and receive surprise audits when there are reports of non-compliance.
Our monitoring process including who performs the monitoring
Farms are audited by the independent organization Sustainable Farming Certification, Int?l. Forests and forest products companies are audited by the Rainforest Alliance?s SmartWood program.
The fee structure for our monitoring system
Farmers, forest managers and forest products companies pay per diem and travel expenses for technicians and auditors. As these visits are performed by local organizations, the costs are often lower than other systems.
Farmers are also charged an annual certification fee based on the size of their farm. Forestry operations are charged for Rainforest Alliance administrative costs and an annual FSC certification fee based on the size and scope of their operation. Small farms and small forestry enterprises may organize and seek certification as groups, thus reducing costs and administration.
Monitored regions
We work in more than 70 countries around the globe.
More information about our organization
We'd also like to tell you...
For businesses or producers that want to work with us, we recommend you do the following...