The production of many commonly traded goods—coffee, chocolate, tea, bananas, palm oil, and timber—often involves human rights abuses. While progress has been made in recent years, thorny problems such as child labor, forced labor, poor working conditions, low wages, gender inequality, and the violation of Indigenous land rights are still embedded in many supply chains.
Advancing the rights of rural people goes hand-in-hand with improving planetary health. Project Drawdown cites gender equality, for instance, as one of the top climate solutions, and in our own work, we have seen that farmers and forest communities can better steward their land when their human rights are respected. Everyone deserves to live and work with dignity, agency, and self-determination—and promoting the rights of rural people is key to a sustainable future.
Improving lives and promoting rights of rural communities is a central part of our mission. Our field results, backed by independent studies, demonstrate, for instance, that workers on certified farms are more likely to enjoy better working conditions and important protections.
of workers on Rainforest Alliance Certified tea estates in Tamil Nadu, India, receive paid annual and sick leave*
In Tamil Nadu, India, a study of 300 farmworkers on seven Rainforest Alliance Certified tea estates and one noncertified estate found a significantly higher percentage of workers on certified estates had contracts and annual paid leave, sick leave, and maternity leave.
*Source: Lalitha N, Nelson V, Martin A, Posthumus H. 2013. Assessing the poverty impact of sustainability standards: Indian tea. Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, London.
of Rainforest Alliance Certified banana farms studied in Colombia have a health and safety professional for their workers*
A study of 13 newly certified banana plantations in Colombia found health and safety professionals to be practicing on all the farms. These professionals identify risks, conduct trainings, and facilitate medical exams. 50 percent more managers on certified farms than non-certified also reported providing in-kind health benefits to permanent workers.
*Based on 2018 survey of newly certified farms in Colombia (Beekman, G. M. Dekkers, and T. Koster (2019). Towards a sustainable banana supply chain in Colombia; Rainforest Alliance certification and economic, social and environmental conditions on small-scale banana plantations in Magdalena, Colombia. Wageningen, Wageningen Economic Research, Report 2019-019: 1-49)
The Rainforest Alliance brings together producers, companies, governments, nonprofit organizations, and consumers to advance human rights in the landscapes where we work. We work both to transform business practices and government policy, as well as promote the rights of our partner communities within our certification system and sustainable development initiatives.
Through certification, landscape and community programs, tailored supply chain services, and advocacy, we are helping to protect and promote the rights of farmworkers around the world.
Addressing human rights abuses in agriculture and forestry is a key focus of our work to make responsible business the new normal.
We can all play a crucial role to ensure that all children grow up in dignity. So, who’s with us?
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Smallholders produce one-third of the world’s food, making them the quiet backbone of global agriculture—and a key piece of the sustainability puzzle. ... Continue Reading
Definitions differ, but at its heart, sustainable agriculture is about meeting the needs of the present, without sacrificing those of tomorrow—it’s farming that is environmentally sound, socially responsible, and profitable for farmers.... Continue Reading
Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana are the largest producers of cocoa in the world, with millions of families relying on the crop for their livelihoods. Yet cocoa farmers earn, on average, only six percent of the final product’s value in stores, making poverty and food insecurity common. Additionally, women make up a significant part of the […]
Women provide immense contributions to productive value chains globally. Throughout Mesoamerica, women work in the production of coffee, cocoa, cardamom, potato, and so many other crops that global markets demand. As part of our Women’s Economic Empowerment in Mesoamerica Initiative, the Rainforest Alliance and partners are working alongside women, including Indigenous women and youth, in […]
Building upon the success of a previous project, the Rwenzori Education, Livelihoods, and Gender Project aims to address the root causes of child labor. With support from Nespresso, the Rainforest Alliance has partnered with Kyagalanyi Coffee Ltd (KCL) to embed child protection into their business practices. The Rainforest Alliance will support the KCL cooperative’s farming households to increase their coffee production and incomes by providing training aligned with our certification standard. In doing so, the project seeks to create a coffee supply chain free from child labor.... Continue Reading