QUESTION: What is Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee? The last time I was in Wholefoods my attention was drawn to a certain package of coffee. It had a “Rainforest Alliance” stamp on it. I had heard about shade-grown coffee and its impact on ecology, but this was the first time I came across this particular label: what does it mean?
DARREN OLIVER AT CLEARLY COFFEE REPLIES: The labels and certifications displayed on packages can often leave customers confused, but we’re here to help! Rainforest Alliance Certified Coffee can often be found in popular supermarkets today. What does this certification mean, exactly?
To answer this question, we first need to know what the Rainforest Alliance is. In a nutshell, it is an environmental non-governmental organization whose goal is to create a more sustainable world by using social and market forces to protect nature and improve the lives of farmers and forest communities (in their own words). Once a product meets the criteria imposed by the organization to ensure appropriate environmental as well as ethical standards, it can be certified by the Rainforest Alliance.
Rainforest Alliance standards
Rainforest Alliance Certified Coffee means that numerous standards have been met in the production of a particular coffee. What standards? First, coexistence with nature. The organization fights against so-called single crop farming, a method of farming that kills biodiversity. What does this look like in practice? For example, so that for every hectare of farm there must be at least 12 different indigenous tree species!
No less important than ecological standards are ethical standards. The use of minors in coffee production is something the coffee industry unfortunately still faces. The Rainforest Alliance forbids the employment of children under the age of 15 in cultivation, and even those older than that must have parental consent – in addition, the work must not interfere with their education.
In addition, the NGO is concerned with decent wages for workers, as well as adherence to labor laws, aspects crucial to creating a fair coffee world.
Criticism of the organization
However, are there some downsides to the Rainforest Alliance? Of course: the Rainforest Alliance has faced criticism from very many quarters. One of them, among others, is the lack of a mechanism to guarantee farmers a price for the beans they grow, which exposes them to market fluctuations. Another criticism is that the standards are not controlled rigorously enough, resulting in products coming to market that do not meet the criteria set by the Rainforest Alliance. But the most serious criticism is that in order for the beans to be certified, only 30% of the coffee in a package must meet the standards set by the company, which is perceived by many as a kind of “cheating” of consumers.
So, to pinpoint everything:
- Rainforest Alliance is a non-governmental organization fighting for better environmental and ethical standards;
- Coffee can be certified by Rainforest Alliance once its production meets strict standards;
- However, Rainforest Alliance has met some criticism regarding its practices
Now you know what Rainforest Alliance Certified Coffee is. We hope that the information contained in the text will allow you to make a good choice the next time you buy beans – whatever choice it may be!