The third-party sustainability certifier Rainforest Alliance recently launched a new version of its sustainable agriculture standard, while also introducing a future add-on program for specializations in regenerative agriculture, climate or livelihoods.
Taking effect in October 2025, the updated standard, version 1.4, reduces the number of requirements for certificate holders from 221 total requirements in seven different categories to 148 requirements consolidated into three categories.
The new standard also loosens restrictions on the use of premiums tied to certification, and reduces the number of required inspections and farm visits.
The nonprofit organization said that the streamlining of certification requirements is designed to simplify the process for producers while also aligning with the goals of coffee buyers and maintaining the integrity of the certification scheme.
“This exciting evolution of our standard will help us speed up the regenerative and net-positive transformation of the agricultural sectors we operate in and improve the livelihoods of those who work within them,” the group announced earlier this month.
Requirements for internal inspections and auditing have been substantially softened in the new standard, which was first adopted in 2020 following the merger of Rainforest Alliance and European sustainability certifier UTZ.
Under version 1.3, all farms under a certificate holder’s scope had to be inspected annually. Now, only 35% of smallholder farms within a given network are required to have internal inspections each year, ensuring that all farms are inspected at least once within a three-year window.
The new standard removes any limits on how many farm inspections can be carried out in a single day, yet it adds a new requirement for inspection training.
Requirements regarding living wage documentation have also been softened in version 1.4. The previous three core living wage requirements are being merged into a single requirement, reducing the reporting burden, according to the group.
Rainforest Alliance is also doing away with mandating specific tools or methods required to calculate living wage gaps, saying that flexibility better suits the varying contexts in which farms operate.
These and a host of other changes in the standard revision are available here.
Rainforest Alliance also announced that it plans to roll out three specialized certification solutions in the coming years, focused on regenerative agriculture, climate or livelihoods.
“Each of these offerings will share a common foundation of ambitious base criteria, complemented by additional criteria tailored to each specialized solution,” the group said. “While our original Sustainable Agriculture Standard will remain our most holistic framework, covering all three impact areas, the specialized certification solutions will build on this foundation—giving farmers and companies the opportunity to validate their distinctive sustainability practices and stand out among competitors.”
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Nick Brown
Nick Brown is the editor of Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine.
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