ZOOM ON // Rainforest Alliance, a label for sustainable agriculture
Forests are essential to the survival of all living beings on Earth. As well as providing us with clean air, protection and rain, they are home to 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. Protecting and managing forests is essential, as they play a crucial role in absorbing and storing carbon dioxide, thus contributing to the fight against climate change.
“Forests are essential to the survival of all living beings on Earth…hey are home to 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity.”
In this context, initiatives such as the Rainforest Alliance certification are emerging as concrete ways of supporting and encouraging forest protection. This certification is not limited to the preservation of forest areas, but also encompasses soil protection and the overall health of our planet.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF RAINFOREST ALLIANCE CERTIFICATION?
The Rainforest Alliance focuses on protecting land and forests in ways that advance the rights and prosperity of rural communities. When a product or ingredient is Rainforest Alliance-labeled, it means that it respects 3 principles of sustainability:
👉 social equity
👉 environmental responsibility
👉 and the economic viability of farming communities.
This label is aimed at small and large farms (individual producers and producer groups); single and multi-site organizations (Processors, Importers or Exporters, Brands, Distributors) for the following product categories:
- Coffee
- Cocoa
- Tea
- Fruits
- Nuts
- Vegetables
- Cut flowers (and Herbs/Spices according to the Chain of Custody perimeter).
Here are some of the main objectives of the Rainforest Alliance label:
- Promotion of sustainable agricultural practices: to encourage and promote environmentally sound agricultural practices that conserve soil, protect biodiversity, reduce the use of chemicals and ensure the sustainable management of natural resources.
- Environmental protection: minimize the environmental impact of agricultural activities, by preserving natural ecosystems, reducing deforestation and helping to combat climate change.
- Improving working conditions: guaranteeing better working conditions for agricultural workers, including fair wages, reasonable working hours and respect for fundamental rights.
HOW DOES THE RAINFOREST ALLIANCE HELP COMPLY WITH THE EUDR? (European Union Deforestation Regulation)
Coffee and cocoa companies will have to meet the requirements of the European Union’s regulation against deforestation and forest degradation (EUDR) by December 2024. The Rainforest Alliance is ready to leverage its strong certification and due diligence tools to help its coffee and cocoa partners comply with the EUDR by then. Companies and, by association, the farmers they source from will need to be prepared to prove that their products do not come from deforested land. The Rainforest Alliance is making the necessary adjustments to ensure that systems and tools can meet the needs of the EUDR in two key areas:
- For farmers: Addition of criteria. From January 15, 2024, farmers will be able to select specific criteria in the Rainforest Alliance Certification Platform (RACP) that are aligned with EUDR requirements.
- For companies: Evidence to support compliance. By December 30, 2024, all supply chain stakeholders – including producers, importers, manufacturers, brands and retailers sourcing Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa or coffee through identity preserved or mixed identity supply chains – will have the ability to identify agricultural certificate holders who have selected EUDR criteria in RACP. Users can choose to access the data (including precise geolocation data) needed to comply with their EUDR obligations.
RAINFOREST ALLIANCE 2020 x Certisys
As of January 2023 Certisys can audit and certify under the Rainforest Alliance 2020 program . As a Certification Body, Certisys certifies companies. They ensure that labeled groups are in line with the Rainforest Alliance’s sustainable agriculture and chain-of-custody/control standards.”
KEY FIGURES
- 2023: Certisys receives authorization to begin audits according to Rainforest Alliance 2020. Ecocert is one of the leading Rainforest Alliance certification bodies.
- More than 700 projects have been audited by Ecocert in the last 12 months.
- The Rainforest Alliance is also :
- +4 million certified farmers
- +6 million hectares of certified land
- +190 countries where you can buy certified products
- +6,000 companies working with RA to source label ingredients
Find out more about Rainforest Alliance certification by Ecocert
Credits : Ecocert
