Title: | Rainforest Alliance Guidance: Collection, verification, and validation of Data Points. |
Code: | A-25-SRCL-N-FA |
Version: | 1.0 |
Applies to: | Farm Certificate Holders. |
Enforceability: | Non-binding content |
Effective by: | October 1st 2025 |
Expires by: | Until further notice |
Published on: | June 24th 2025 |
Linked to | A-01-S-B-FA-V1.4EN Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard, Farm Requirements. |
Replaces: | N/A |
What is this document about?
This document is intended to help Farm Certificate Holders in efficiently gathering data points related to the indicators outlined in the Indicator Annex, as specified in requirement 1.7.1 of the Standard. It aims to streamline the data collection process, making it less cumbersome and more accurate for Certificate Holders. The instructions provided herein are clear and detailed, ensuring that the data collected meets the necessary standards for verification and validation.
When and how to use this document?
This document is intended to assist Farm Certificate Holders in collecting the data points outlined in the Indicator Annex.
1. Introduction
Data is the foundation of effective sustainability efforts—and is integral to the approach at Rainforest Alliance. Reliable data is not only essential for farmers to track sustainability progress, and ensure access to evolving markets, but also for businesses in response to growing pressure to report on their social and environmental impact.
The goal of the changes to the data processes is to improve the accuracy of the data collected and reduce administrative work for Certificate Holders. After a thorough review, the number of data points has been reduced to 45 in total. Additionally, all indicators have been consolidated under a single reference—requirement 1.7.1— which is linked to the binding document: Indicator Annex. In this guide, each of the data points is broken down, outlining more detail on how to collect the data.
Farm Certificate Holders will remain responsible for data collection. Certification Bodies will verify (check the evidence) and validate (approve that the information is relevant, consistent, complete, and accurate) the data collected.
The data will be reported on the Rainforest Alliance Platform, on a yearly basis. For small farms within a group the data will first need to be captured by a tool and then place the end results on the Rainforest Alliance Certification Platform.
The graphic below provides a clear overview of our new data verification and validation steps:
2. Key Points to Remember
Please note that for groups with small farms, group management is always responsible for collecting the data and reporting on the Rainforest Alliance platform.
For large farms within a group, data collection will be per large farm. However, group management is always responsible for ensuring that the data has been collected accurately and reported in a timely manner on the Rainforest Alliance Platform.
The Data Collected reflects data obtained from the year prior to the current year of the Certificate Holder’s certification cycle. This corresponds to a continuous 12-month period, without gaps or overlaps with the previous or next reporting period.
For groups with small farms, requirement 1.4.1 also applies to the data points collection. Therefore, for the first certification audit, group management must collect the applicable data points from 100% of the small farms. This will then come down for the following audits to at least 35% of small farms within the group, as well as any new farms added to the group. Except for identified high risk Certificate Holders where group management will have to do an internal inspection and data collection for 100% of their members every year. For this reason, group management is asked to indicate the number of small farms they collected data from in the indicator survey on the Rainforest Alliance Platform.
In the case of having multiple Rainforest Alliance certified crops, data must be collected and reported for the crop covering the most area.
The data points are part of the audit package to be sent to the CB before audit confirmation.
Management shall report indicators in the RACP annually following internal inspection and/or self-assessment.
3. Assess-and-Address Indicators
The Assess-and-Address system prioritizes proactive identification, prevention, and remediation of human rights risks, including child labor, forced labor, discrimination, and workplace violence and harassment. Unlike a strict zero-tolerance approach that often leads to cases being concealed due to fear of sanctions, Assess-and-Address encourages open reporting as a sign of responsible risk management and continuous improvement.
A well-functioning Assess-and-Address system does not mean an absence of reported cases but rather that cases are actively identified, reported, and addressed. In high-risk areas, a lack of reported cases may indicate underreporting rather than an actual absence of violations.
Under Assess-and-Address, several indicators have been outlined to collect and report on case monitoring, identification, remediation and follow-ups on the four topical areas to provide companies and other actors with timely information on the impact they are making in their supply chains while ensuring that these important issues are adequately addressed at the producer level.
3.1 Why differentiate gender discrimination?
The Rainforest Alliance has chosen to differentiate between gender discrimination and other forms of discrimination to better understand the extent of gender-based discrimination and to implement tailored measures to address it. Additionally, three reasons for this division have been identified:
1) Gender discrimination is rooted in deep societal and cultural norms, requiring targeted interventions to address these issues.
2) The gender committee must play a significant role in addressing this type of discrimination.
3) Engaging specific stakeholders (NGOs, local government, institutions related to gender and women's rights) is essential.
4. Guidelines for Data Collection
Shade tree species
Data point | # of shade tree species per farm |
Requirement linked | None |
Description | The number of different species of shade trees present on the RA certified farm. These are trees that provide shade to the Rainforest Alliance certified crop. This does not include small trees that have been planted but that do not provide shade yet. |
Objective | Increase the diversity of shade tree species per farm to enhance soil quality, conserve biodiversity, optimize water source protection, and contribute to climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration. |
Measurement unit | Numeric value |
Collection method | Identify the species of shade trees that are part of the agroforestry arrangement in the RA certified farm, count the different species, and (for the certificate holders own records) record the common name of each one. |
Data collection period | At the beginning of the year, during the update of the annual management plan. Verify and update any changes prior to internal inspection. shade trees per hectare (average) |
Requirement linked | None |
Description | The number of shade trees present on the RA certified farm. |
Objective | Increase the number of shade trees per farm to enhance soil quality, conserve biodiversity, optimize water source protection, and contribute to climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration. These are trees that provide shade to the Rainforest Alliance certified crop. This does not include small trees that have been planted but that do not provide shade yet. |
Measurement unit | Numeric value |
Collection method | Select three plots that are representative of the existing agroforestry arrangement on the farm (if the farm has three or fewer, include all of them in the sample) and count the total number of shade trees in each one, record the data obtained in each plot, indicating the number or name of the selected plot and calculate the average number of trees, this value will be the data to be recorded for the farm. |
Data collection period | At the beginning of the year, during the update of the annual management plan. Verify and update any changes prior to internal inspection. |
RACP reporting deadline | Two weeks before audit confirmation. |
Organic fertilizers use
Data point | Liters and/or kilograms of organic fertilizers |
Requirement linked | Continuous improvement requirement 4.4.6 of SAS 1.4. |
Description | The annual amount of organic fertilizer applied on the farm for the certified crop. This information helps identify opportunities to improve usage efficiency the following year. Note: only organic fertilizers commercially produced are considered for this indicator. |
Objective | Track the amount of commercially produced organic fertilizers applied by the farm to RA certified crops over the past year and proactively use this data to identify and implement opportunities for improving fertilizer efficiency in the upcoming year. |
Measurement unit | Liters and/or kilograms |
Collection method | Using fertilizers purchases and application records, collect information on the total amount of organic fertilizers (commercially manufactured) applied on the RA certified crop. For groups, the information should be collected annually during internal inspection/self-assessment. |
Data collection period | At least once per month and consolidate annual data before the internal inspection/self-assessment. |
Inorganic fertilizers use
Data point | Liters and/or kilograms of inorganic fertilizers |
Requirement linked | Continuous improvement requirement 4.4.6 of SAS 1.4. |
Description | The annual amount of inorganic fertilizer applied on the farm for the RA certified crop. This information helps identify opportunities to improve usage efficiency in the following year. |
Objective | Track the amount of inorganic fertilizer applied by the farm to the RA certified crop over the past year and proactively use this data to identify and implement opportunities for improving fertilizer efficiency in the upcoming year. |
Measurement unit | Liters and/or kilograms |
Collection method | Using fertilizer purchases and application records, collect information on the total amount of inorganic fertilizers applied on the RA certified crop. |
Baseline year | The previous year. |
Data collection period | At least once per month. Consolidate annual data before the internal inspection/self-assessment. |
RACP reporting deadline | Before audit confirmation, as part of the pe-audit package sent to the CB. |
Estimated certified production volumes
Data point | Estimated certified production volume of the previous year in kilograms/stems (for flowers) |
Requirement linked | Base requirement 2.1.1 of SAS 1.4. |
Description | Total estimated volume of the certified crop to be harvested during the previous year. |
Objective | Accurately estimate the certified production volume of the previous year (in kg) to ensure compliance with certification standards concerning traceability throughout the supply chain and production planning for the current year.
Reliable harvest estimation enables producers and group managers to become better farm managers, helps to guide in adopting sound agricultural practices, and brings transparency to the supply chain. In addition, having accurate numbers on certified volumes is essential for the credibility of Rainforest Alliance’s certification program and traceability system. |
Measurement unit | Kilograms per hectare of harvested crops or stems count per hectare in the case of flowers. |
Collection method | The producer must document their methodology for estimating the harvest for the previous year, considering the volumes of product harvested in previous years and any changes in the production system that may result in an increase or reduction in production such as change of variety, start of production in renovated plots, problems with pests/diseases, soil problems, or water deficit. The producer must keep a record of the estimated volume of the product as well as any adjustments made to the estimated volume of the product that would mean an increase in the quantity initially reported on the certificate. ‘Guidance G: Yield Estimation’ covers different crops and production contexts. Basic methodologies are described to enable more accurate yield estimates. |
Data collection period | At the beginning of the year, during the update of the annual management plan. Verify and update any changes prior to internal inspection. |
RACP reporting deadline | Before audit confirmation, as part of the pre-audit package sent to the CB. |
Farm size
Data point | Farm size in hectares (ha) |
Requirement linked | Base requirement 1.2.3 of SAS 1.4 for farms part of a group. |
Description | Total area of the certified farms. |
Objective | Keep an up-to-date record of the total farm area as part of the necessary information to confirm the certification scope for the CH/each member, using the Group Member Registry form provided by Rainforest Alliance (in the case of groups). |
Measurement unit | Hectares (ha) |
Collection method | Using the documents of ownership/tenure of the land, such as deeds, lease contracts, and land title certificates together with maps of the property, the producer must record the total area to be included in the scope of the certification in the forms provided by RA (such as the GMR). |
Data collection period | At the beginning of the year, during the update of the annual management plan. Verify and update any changes prior to internal inspection. |
Production area
Data point | Production area size in hectares (ha). |
Requirement linked | Base requirement 1.2.3 of SAS 1.4 for farms part of a group. Certification Rules for Farms – rule 2.1.3 for all Certificate Holders. |
Description | The production area of the RA certified crop. |
Objective | Keep an up-to-date record of the certified crop area as part of the necessary information to confirm the certification scope for the CH/each member, using the Group Member Registry form provided by the Rainforest Alliance. |
Measurement unit | Hectares (ha) |
Collection method | Using the documents of ownership/tenure of the land, such as deeds, lease contracts, and land title certificates together with maps of the property, the producer must record the total area to be included in the scope of the certification used for production of the certified crop in the forms provided by RA (GMR platform). |
Data collection period | At the beginning of the year, during the update of the annual management plan. Verify and update any changes prior to internal inspection. |
Pesticides use
Data point | Liters and/or kilograms of pesticides broken down into; Insecticide, Rodenticide, Fungicide, Herbicide, and Other |
Requirement linked | Base requirement 4.6.8 of SAS 1.4. |
Description | The total quantity of all pesticide concentrates (Insecticide, Rodenticide, Fungicide, Herbicide, and Other) applied on the RA certified crop, during the previous year. |
Objective | Ensure sustainable pest management practices by accurately tracking annual pesticide concentrate use, promoting responsible usage, minimizing environmental impact, and reducing the use of more toxic and prohibited products. |
Measurement unit | Kilograms and/or liters |
Collection method | Using pesticides and application records collect information on the total amount of pesticides (Insecticide, Rodenticide, Fungicide, Herbicide, and others) applied on the RA certified crop. In the case of groups, the information consolidation shall be completed before the internal inspection/self-assessment. Please note that what is requested is the total amounts of pesticides in concentrated form, not diluted. |
Data collection period | At least once per month. For groups, consolidate information before the internal inspection/self-assessment. |
Irrigation water use
Data point | Water used for irrigation in total (L) |
Requirement linked | Continuous Improvement requirement 6.5.3 of SAS 1.4. |
Description | Total water used for irrigation. This data point is applicable only when irrigation is used on the farm. |
Objective | When irrigation water is used on the RA certified crop, the system should be maintained to optimize crop productivity while minimizing water waste, erosion, and salinization. Promoting efficient water management by tracking irrigation water usage from year 1 onwards. Enabling producers to monitor consumption, optimize water resources, and support sustainable agricultural practices. |
Measurement unit | Liters |
Collection method | Record daily (or according to the frequency of use of the system) the water consumption values according to the reading of the producers' counting system installed at the catchment site of the water used for crop irrigation. Check the measurement unit and convert it to Liters if needed. |
Data collection period | At least once per month and consolidate information per year before the internal inspection/self-assessment. |
Processing water consumption
Data point | Water use for processing in total (L) |
Requirement linked | Continuous improvement requirement 6.5.4 of SAS 1.4. |
Description | Total water used for RA certified crop processing during the previous year. |
Objective | Promoting efficient water management by tracking water usage for processing from year 1 onwards, enabling producers to monitor consumption, optimize water resources, and support sustainable agricultural practices. |
Measurement unit | Liters |
Collection method | Record daily (or according to the frequency of processing) the water consumption values according to the reading of the producers counting system installed at the catchment site of the water used for processing the harvested product. Check the unit of measurement and, if necessary, make the conversions to obtain the data in liters. If the producer does not have a recording system at the catchment site, measure the volume stockpiled for processing activities. |
Data collection period | At least once per month and consolidate information per year before the internal inspection/self-assessment. |
Wood consumption for processing
Data point | Wood use for processing in total (kg) |
Requirement linked | None. |
Description | Total wood used for RA certified crop processing during the previous year. |
Objective | Promoting efficient wood management by tracking wood usage for processing, enabling producers to monitor consumption, optimize wood resources, and support sustainable agricultural practices. |
Measurement unit | Kilograms |
Collection method | Record (according to the frequency of processing) the wood consumed according to the reading of the producers system installed used for capturing wood use needed for processing. Management can then add the total amount in kilograms. |
Data collection period | At least once per month and consolidate information per year before the internal inspection/self-assessment. |
Natural vegetation
Data point | % of farm-area under natural vegetation |
Requirement linked | Continuous improvement requirement 6.2.3 of SAS 1.4. |
Description | Total farm area maintained under natural vegetation cover. For farms with agroforestry, data on the tree cover is collected, which should include both native and naturalized tree species. |
Objective | Continuously maintain and monitor natural vegetation cover, with annual reporting to track progress. |
Measurement unit | Hectares (ha) |
Collection method | The CH shall measure (using polygons or another identified method) the area covered by natural vegetation. For CHs that would have natural vegetation outside of the production area, the applicability would remain that of what is meant with natural vegetation according to the standard and the glossary: looking at the whole area being restored (the vegetation thus including trees, shrubs, grasses, etc.).We ask for a total of that area and the survey will make the conversion into percentage. However, for those who also have agroforestry systems, it would only apply to trees (native or not native) but not the other types of natural vegetation cover, like shrubs, grasses, etc. Again, we ask for the total agroforestry tree cover area. If the CH has both agroforestry systems (within the production area) and natural vegetation outside of the production area, the CH is required to calculate the total for both. Within the RACP survey, the CH responds to a question asking for the natural vegetation area outside of production (groups of small farms can report the total of this area), and a separate question on the agroforestry tree cover, as mentioned above. ‘Guidance M: Natural Ecosystems and Vegetation’ explains how to measure natural vegetation in set-aside conservation land and in production areas (such as agroforestry shade cover). |
Data collection period | At the beginning of the year, during the update of the annual management plan. Verify and update any changes prior to internal inspection. |
Reported cases (Assess-and-Address)
Data point |
|
Requirement linked | Base requirement 5.1.3 of SAS 1.4 |
Rationale | Reporting child labor, forced labor, discrimination, workplace violence and harassment cases is essential to the Assess-and-Address system, ensuring risks are identified, mitigated, and remediated rather than hidden due to fear of sanctions. In high-risk areas, a lack of reported cases may signal underreporting rather than an actual absence of cases of violations. Systematic reporting helps track trends, assess mitigation efforts, and strengthen accountability, ensuring timely remediation for affected individuals. |
Description | Total number of cases of (girls/boys) child labor, (women/men) forced labor, discrimination and/or workplace violence and harassment reported (but not yet confirmed) to the grievance committee. Note that reported cases might never become a confirmed case of labor/human rights abuse. |
Objective | To create a safer, more equitable, and legally compliant work environment, reducing long-term risks and liabilities. Reporting data enables early detection of issues, allowing for proactive solutions and strengthens credibility with buyers and auditors, enhancing market access and securing long-term business relationships. Moreover, addressing risks early improves worker satisfaction, productivity, and retention, fostering a more stable and responsible operation. |
Measurement unit | Numeric value |
Collection method | Reported cases are per definition the ones that have been recorded by the grievance committee as per the Rainforest Alliance Remediation Protocol. Calculate the total the number of cases documented in this registry/record. If no cases are found, management is to indicate a 0 (zero) and provide reasoning for the absence of identified cases. |
Data collection period | Throughout the year, whenever cases are reported and consolidate information per year before the internal inspection/self-assessment.
|
Requirement linked | Specialized requirement 5.1.4 of SAS 1.4 |
Rationale | Tracking confirmed cases is essential for demonstrating that the Assess-and-Address system is functioning effectively, ensuring that reported cases are properly investigated and remediated. A confirmed case does not indicate failure, but rather a transparent and responsible approach to identifying and addressing human rights risks. |
Description | The total amount of cases of (girl/boy) child labor, (women/men) forced labor, discrimination, workplace violence and harassment that are confirmed by the grievance committee. Please note that not all cases reported are confirmed after being investigated by the grievance committee. |
Objective | To foster a safe and equitable work environment by identifying, reporting, confirming, and remediating cases of child labor, forced labor, discrimination, workplace violence and harassment, ensuring accountability and support for affected individuals. |
Measurement unit | Numeric value |
Collection method | Calculate the total number of confirmed cases recorded by the grievance committee. If no cases are found, management is to indicate a 0 (zero) and provide reasoning for the absence of confirmed cases. |
Data collection period | At least once per month and consolidate information per year before the internal inspection/self-assessment. |
Data analysis | Please note that the confirmed cases would be the same or less as the reported cases
|
Remediated cases
Data point |
|
Requirement linked | Base requirement 5.1.4 of SAS 1.4. |
Rationale | Tracking remediated cases is essential to ensure that the Assess-and-Address system leads to meaningful improvements, rather than stopping at identification. Remediation aims to restore affected individuals’ rights, prevent recurrence, and strengthen systemic protections in line with the Remediation Protocol. |
Description | The total amount of cases of (girl/boy) child labor, (women/men) forced labor, discrimination, workplace violence and harassment remediated by the Assess-and-Address committee as per the Remediation Protocol. |
Objective | To foster a safe and equitable work environment by identifying, reporting, confirming, and remediating cases, ensuring accountability and support for affected individuals. |
Measurement unit | Numeric value |
Collection method | Calculate the total number of remediated cases recorded by the Assess-and-Address committee/management representative. If no cases are found, management indicates 0 (zero) and provides reasoning for the absence of confirmed cases. |
Data collection period | At least once per month and consolidate information per year before the internal inspection/self-assessment. |
Data analysis | Once management has identified the indicators on reported, confirmed and remediated cases, management proceeds to perform the following analysis: What is the status of the confirmed cases not yet remediated? Are the cases on track to be remediated? If not, what are the reasons, and can something be done? |
Fossil fuel consumption
Data point | Total fossil fuel use in liters (L), kilograms (kg), and/or cubic meters, annually |
Requirement linked | Specialized requirement 6.8.1 of SAS 1.4. |
Description | The total fossil fuel use indicator refers to the total fossil fuel used for the production and processing of the RA certified crop. This includes fuel sources such as diesel, petrol, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)(propane), oil, coal, and natural gas. Use is reported in volume (liters, cubic meters), or weight (kg), whether it is for stationary consumption (such as boilers, mechanical driers) or mobile consumption (such as tractors). The use of biofuels should not be included. The boundary is on-farm RA certified production and processing only. Transportation to and from the farm should not be included. |
Objective | This indicator can help address the energy efficiency of certified farms and can be used to inform the climate change mitigation impact. The amount of fossil fuel used must be calculated and documented according to the types of energy sources used and the machinery used in operations (production and processing). Determine the farm's typical fuel consumption to identify opportunities to optimize it through improved process performance or reduced usage. Record keeping is, therefore, an essential activity in achieving energy efficiency. |
Measurement unit | This data point is measured in liters, kilograms, and/or cubic meters (for larger volumes). The Minimum value is 0, with no maximum value. |
Collection method | Determine how much fossil fuel is used by each stationary and mobile equipment. Quantify the total fossil fuel consumption per year after harvest and/or processing. |
Data collection period | At least once per month. Consolidate information per year before the internal inspection/self-assessment. |
Electricity consumption
Data point | Total electricity use (kWh) annually |
Requirement linked | Specialized requirement 6.8.1 of SAS 1.4. |
Description | The total electricity use indicator refers to electricity used for the production and processing of the RA certified crop, such as the use of processing machinery. This includes both renewable energy (solar, wind, hydro) and electricity grid, reported in kWh of electricity used. |
Objective | Determine the farm's typical electricity consumption to identify opportunities to optimize it through improved process performance or reduced usage. |
Measurement unit | This data point is measured in kWh. The minimum value is 0, with no maximum value. |
Collection method | Determine the type of energy sources used by each stationary and mobile equipment and indicate if it is renewable or not. Quantify the total energy consumption per year after harvest and processing. See ‘Guidance N: Energy Efficiency’ for guidelines on how to record this information. |
Data collection period | At least once per month and consolidate information per year before the internal inspection/self-assessment. |
Renewable energy use
Data point | Types of renewable energy source: solar, wind, hydro, biofuels. |
Requirement linked | Specialized requirement 6.8.1 of SAS 1.4. |
Description | Use of renewable energy (yes or no) and types used (solar, wind, hydro, or biofuels) |
Objective | Report or identify opportunities to adopt renewable energy sources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, contributing to climate change mitigation and the well-being of surrounding communities. |
Measurement unit | This is a yes/no question, followed by "select all that apply". |
Collection method | Identify if the farm(s) use any renewable energy sources and record them. |
Data collection period | At least once per month and consolidate information per year before the internal inspection/self-assessment. |
Other information
Date of first publication of this document (v 1.0): June 24th 2025.
Documents indicated as “binding” must be complied with for certification. Documents indicated as “non-binding” provide non-mandatory information to help readers understand and implement requirements and other binding content.
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For any question related to the precise meaning of the information in a translation, consult the official English version for clarification. Any errors or differences in meaning due to translation are not binding and have no effect for auditing or certification purposes.
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