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- Who is the Rainforest Alliance?
- Background Information
- Recent Food and Grocery commitments to Rainforest Alliance
Who is the Rainforest Alliance?
They are an organisation who in their words: ‘works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behaviour.'
Background Information
- Members and supporters: 33,000
- Annual budget: $33 million
- Board Chair and Co-Founder: Daniel R. Katz
- President: Tensie Whelan
- Incorporated as a non-profit organisation in New York State: 1987
Source: Rainforest Alliance (2008)
Rainforest Alliance Certified seal
The Rainforest Alliance Certified seal of approval makes it easy for consumers to know they are buying a product that has been grown or made sustainably.
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Rainforest Alliance Certified seal |
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Source: Rainforest Alliance |
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Certification, as defined by the Rainforest Alliance, is a conservation tool whereby an independent, third party awards a seal of approval guaranteeing consumers that the products they are buying are the result of practices carried out according to a specific set of criteria balancing ecological, economic and social considerations.
Products bearing the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal must come from agricultural or forestry businesses that are managed in accordance with strict standards, established and monitored by the Sustainable Agricultural Network (SAN), for social and environmental sustainability.
Recent Food and Grocery commitments to Rainforest Alliance
2003
Kraft Foods signs an agreement with Rainforest Alliance and announces an unprecedented commitment to purchase Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee
2004
Procter & Gamble introduces its Millstone Rainforest Reserve coffee in grocery chains throughout the United States
Kraft launches Kenco Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee in the UK, and sells to universities, offices and other institutional settings.
Gloria Jean’s entire line of flavoured coffees is certified
International retail chain Prêt A Manger opens ten sandwich shops in New York City serving Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee and bananas
Certified coffee hits Belgium and spreads across Japan and Canada
The United Nations’ New York facilities and UK’s Eden Project environmental education centre serve certified coffee. The National Audubon Society introduces Audubon™ Coffee, 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified
Total area of certified banana farms surpasses 130,000 acres (52,600 hectares) as Chiquita and Favorita banana companies, whose own farms are 100% certified, help their independent suppliers work toward certification
The first Rainforest Alliance Certified chocolate, Plantations Arriba, becomes available at restaurants and shops across the US
2005
Kraft coffee brands in the United Kingdom (Kenco), France (Jacques Vabre), Sweden (Gevalia) and Germany (Jacobs) introduce 100 % Rainforest Alliance Certified lines.
2007
All 1,200 McDonald’s restaurants in the United Kingdom and Ireland begin selling exclusively Rainforest Alliance Certified Kenco coffee
Unilever, which buys approximately 12 percent of the world’s black tea, commits to buying all of its tea from sustainable sources certified by the Rainforest Alliance.
2008
In Europe, Costa Coffee, the UK's largest, fastest-growing coffee shop, announced it its to purchase its entire coffee supply to beans from Rainforest Alliance Certified sources.
Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee is now available in McDonald’s restaurants across Europe.
Mars Drinks has launched a selection of Rainforest Alliance Certified Colombian coffees to be distributed in the United Kingdom, France and Germany.
The area of farmland certified in compliance with the standard of the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) reaches more than one million acres (more than 414,000 hectares) in 18 countries.
2009
Mars, Incorporated is aiming to certify its entire cocoa supply as being produced in a sustainable manner, by 2020 (Source: Mars)
Kraft Foods has committed to use cocoa beans only from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms across its entire Côte d'Or and Marabou lines, equal to some 30,000 ton of beans by end of 2012
Source: Rainforest Alliance
Related IGD links:
- Kraft Foods - Ethical Sourcing of Coffee case study
- Unilever - Ethical sourcing of Tea case study
Related Internet links:
- Rainforest Alliance website
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