Rainforest Alliance | TRADE FOR DEVELOPMENT CENTRE

Rainforest Alliance

Born out of an environmental concern, rainforest alliance has progressively extended its social and economic requirements working as much with small producers as with the giants of the farm produce sector.

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Rainforest Alliance is an international NGO that was created at the end of the 1980s in response to the increasing awareness in Latin America that the intensive banana growing, especially in Costa Rica, was contributing to deforestation. Moreover, the agricultural practices employed (use of fertilisers and phytosanitary products), this growth was harming the health of plantation workers, degrading soils and damaging biodiversity.

Since 1992, Rainforest Alliance has labelled various tropical products (coffee, tea, bananas, cocoa) with a historical emphasis on so-called "shade-grown" coffee, which is grown under a forest cover and less destructive than large monocultures.

The label is granted to the produce of cooperatives or independent producers who meet criteria concerning working conditions, preservation of soils and the ecosystem, protection of species and water- and wastemanagement, etc. Rainforest Alliance does not rely on the principle of a guaranteed price to producers over the long term, nor on organic farming, but rather on integrated agricultural practices (minimising environmental impact).

The NGO collaborates as much with the large plantations as with traditional growers, essentially in Central and South America, but also in the Philippines, Kenya, Ethiopia, etc. In addition, the organisation provides the secretariat for the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN), a worldwide network focusing on the management of farming and which is the source of the criteria and indicators to be met to obtain Rainforest Alliance certification. Finally, Rainforest Alliance makes use of local independent auditors trained in audit procedures in accordance with ISO 65, and it is a member of the International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labelling Alliance (ISEAL).

Impact of the label

Beneficiaries: 247 827 small and large exploitations or 2.8 million people (producers/workers and their family)
Range: 20 countries – 1 099 829 certified hectares
Brands with products under the label: Côte d'Or, Innocent Drinks, Jacques Vabre, Kraft, Lipton, Nespresso, Subway, Mars...

In brief

Creation date:

1986

Based at:

New York

Origin/need:

The sustainable agriculture programme was launched when intensive banana growing began to cause serious problems (deforestation, poisoning of workers).

Sector:

agriculture, tourism

In Belgium:

Bananas, tea, coffee and cocoa

What is guaranteed:

Conservation of ecosystems: healthy and decent working conditions, protection of biodiversity, conservation of water resources, integrated management of pesticides and waste materials, good relations with local communities, soil conservation.

Stakeholders:

NGOs, consumers, public authorities, experts, trade unions, businesses, etc.

Beneficiaries:

Independent producers, cooperatives, businesses/brand holders

Type of assessment:

third party

Methods:

Analysis of the documentary system, pre-announced and random site visits, interviews with internal stakeholders.

Sector activities concerned:

Production, import/export, processing.

Requirements:

The Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) standard is available on the website. A standard for groups is being prepared. The sustainable agriculture criteria consist of 10 principles. Among the criteria, 14 are critical and must be met to obtain certification.

Room for manoeuvre:

In addition, a grading system requires that 80% of all the criteria must be met with a minimum of 50% for each principle. Corrective actions must be implemented if the minimum required is not achieved.

Improvement procedure:

The certified organisation is re-audited each year and must show progress from one audit to the next.

Did you know ?

Rainforest Alliance estimates it certifies 15% of the world production of bananas, 5% of tea and 2% of coffee. The NGO is forming partnerships with the giants in certain food processing sectors (Chiquita, Lipton, Nestlé), while progressively making itself accessible to small producers. Since 2003, Rainforest Alliance has also used its logo for certain sustainable tourism initiatives.

For more information: www.rainforest-alliance.org

How do I get the certification ?

When an organisation considers his operation ready to undergo inspection, a team of specialists from Rainforest Alliance will assess its conformity with the criteria. The team will produce a report that is evaluated by a committee of independent, external (volunteer) experts. Relying on this form of peer group evaluation and the recommendations of the inspection teams, Rainforest Alliance will issue its certification decision. In the case of failure, improvements may be made before resubmitting the application. Once conformity with the standard has been certified, the label can be used.

How much does the certification cost ?

The producers pay the initial costs of certification plus annual expenses. Often foundations, exporters and buyers contribute to these charges. The costs are based on three factors:

Size and location of the farm. Certified farms pay annual costs of 7.5 USD/ha for large and medium sized operations and 5 USD for groups (cooperatives, associations of producers).
Degree of conformity with the SAN standards

Local roots

Farming must contribute to the protection and conservation of the natural resources of local communities, participate in local economic development and share the costs of community infrastructures and resources.

Some remarks

As an emblem of sustainable trade, the Rainforest Alliance label is known for its demanding environmental and social criteria and for its strong coaching of farm and forestry entrepreneurs.

From an economic point of view though the SAN (Sustainable Agriculture Network) standards are far less demanding. In fact, the Rainforest Alliance aims at improving the quality and appeal of labelled products to increase the revenues of entrepreneurs and their workers (as well as strengthening the negotiation, management and marketing capacities). So, the constraints for labelling international buyers are exclusively borne by producers, who do not receive any guaranteed minimum price.

A contrario, this is a characteristic of most sustainable trade labels and makes them considerably more interesting for the multinationals as it gives them more room to negotiate their purchases of agricultural raw materials.

Many of the giants of the agrofood business have often been questioned about environmental or social issues (especially about the living and working conditions with their suppliers) and now rely on Rainforest Alliance to help them in the transition to a more sustainable production.

The American company Mars, for instance, is committing to work exclusively with sustainable Rainforest Alliance and UTZ Certified suppliers by 2020 and invests millions of dollars every year to support this transition of growers to a production that respects the environment and farmer communities. Nespresso also turned to Rainforest Alliance for help with reducing the negative environmental impacts for its puchases and to increase the revenue of its suppliers.

But the green frog label does not escape certain criticism, especially with regards to the share of certified ingredients required for a finished product to be labelled, which is only 30%. This is considered too low and turns out to be just a cheap way for the large agrofood companies to polish up their image.

Between 2009 and 2010 the amounts invested in actions by Rainforest Alliance have gone from 30.8 to 35.2 million USD. Even though priority is given to farm and agroforestry programmes, the NGO also intervenes in the tourism sector and supports educational and awareness-raising projects pertaining to global warming. Moreover, the Rainforest Alliance continuously invests in new areas, such as sugar cane, flowers or the launch of the new SAN standard for cattle breeding.

Other information

Time for sustainable tourism

With almost 12% of global GDP and almost 200 million of workers, tourism is one of the most important sectors of the global economy. It is one of the sectors that have witnessed sustained growth.

Yet, populations from Southern countries receive little of this manna, which first and foremost benefits the operators of the tourism industry (airline companies, tour operators, hotel chains…), whereas the activities on site are often to the detriment of the environment, of biodiversity and of the well-being of local communities (hyperconcentration of infrastructure, child labour, begging, prostitution…).

Sustainable tourism is a response to such excess. Following the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) it can be said to be “Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.”

Rainforest Alliance has become a major player in this domain. The NGO works with organisations and experts from around the world to identify good practices and to support regional certification initiatives.

Rainforest Alliance focuses on the sector’s operators and raises awareness among them about the challenges to help them acquire and take advantage of sustainable tourism certification.

Rainforest Alliance also runs the secretariat of the Sustainable Tourism Certification Network of the Americas (to ensure the parties involved exchange their experiences) and has worked with the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations World Tourism Organisation to launch the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). The GSTC is a global, multi-stakeholder membership organization dedicated to increasing the outreach, awareness and recognition of sustainable tourism practices around the world.

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