Gowland champions regenerative agriculture to strengthen farmer livelihoods and secure the future of global supply chains
New York, November 9, 2026 – TIME has named Rainforest Alliance CEO Santiago Gowland to its 2026 TIME100 Climate list, recognizing him among the world’s 100 most influential leaders in climate action. The list recognizes top policymakers, business decision-makers and changemakers taking meaningful action to protect our planet.
Gowland has long argued that markets can restore what they have damaged. At Unilever, he helped shape the framework for the company’s Sustainable Living Plan. At Nike, he created the Systems Innovation function to lead its market transformation work. Since 2021, as CEO of the Rainforest Alliance, he has been putting that conviction into practice on the farms and in the forests where global supply chains begin.
Under his leadership, the organization is helping drive the transition to regenerative agriculture, working to make it viable for farmers and a business imperative for the companies that depend on them. Its approach links stronger farming standards with the technical support, investment and long-term purchasing commitments farmers need to regenerate their land and build more secure livelihoods.
In his TIME100 Climate feature, Gowland pointed to a shift he sees across industry as his reason for hope.
“What gives me hope is that companies are beginning to recognize that their own future depends on investing in people and nature,” said Santiago Gowland, CEO of the Rainforest Alliance. “Healthy soils, functioning ecosystems and thriving farming communities create more resilient production and greater security of supply. Companies now have a commercial reason to invest in the people and landscapes that deliver those benefits.”
The Rainforest Alliance’s Regenerative Agriculture Standard provides a framework for putting that approach into practice. It strengthens requirements for soil health, biodiversity and climate resilience while retaining protections for human rights and farmer livelihoods. Since its launch, more than 65,000 metric tons of coffee have been certified under the standard.
The Rainforest Alliance’s focus now is to extend this model across entire producing regions by mobilizing more investment, expanding farmer services and securing stronger purchasing commitments.
“Climate action gains staying power when people have a direct stake in its success,” Gowland added. “Better livelihoods give farmers reasons to continue investing in their land. More resilient production gives businesses reasons to support them. Turning those shared interests into lasting commitments is how we accelerate regeneration.”
Read Santiago Gowland’s full TIME100 Climate feature: Santiago Gowland: The 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders of 2026.
See the full 2026 TIME100 Climate list: The 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders of 2026.
About the Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance is an international nonprofit organization working to protect nature and improve the lives of farm and forest communities. Active in 64 countries, we bring together local communities, companies, governments, civil society, and consumers to tackle deforestation, advance sustainable and regenerative agriculture, strengthen livelihoods, and build more resilient global supply chains. Our work spans certification, landscape and community programs, and advocacy, connecting action on farms and in forests with change in global markets.
The Rainforest Alliance Certified seal now appears on 66,000 products across 172 countries, giving consumers around the world confidence that their purchases support thriving landscapes and communities where people and nature live in harmony.
Media Contact
Christopher Kiernan, [email protected]
Senior Manager, Global Media Relations
Rainforest Alliance
