Glossary Annex v1.5

Active ingredient

The substance or mixture of substances in a pesticide product that provides the pesticidal action which can kill, repel, attract, mitigate, or otherwise control a pest. Other inert substances can assist this effect either directly or indirectly. Active ingredients are identified by name on the pesticide product's label.^[1]

Actor

Any individual, company or organization that conducts activities related to the certified product from production to final product within the scope of the certification.^[2]

Agrochemicals

Commercially produced, usually synthetic, chemical substances used in agricultural production, such as fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators, nematicides and soil conditioners. Agrochemicals are regulated because of their potential impacts on human health and the environment.^[3]

Agroforestry

Land management approaches that intentionally integrate woody perennials (trees, shrubs, palms, etc.) with agricultural crops or livestock on the same land. This diversified system offers multiple benefits, including increased productivity, improved soil health, enhanced biodiversity, climate resilience and contributions to water conservation and carbon sequestration.^[4]

Applicable law

National and ratified international laws that apply in a specific context or situation. National laws include the laws and regulations of all jurisdictions within a nation (local, regional, and national). International laws to which nations have acceded   are also considered as applicable law.^[5]

Aquatic ecosystems

Flowing and still water bodies and other wetlands. This includes:

Flowing and still water bodies: All naturally occurring streams, rivers, pools, ponds, lakes, and lagoons, as well as seasonal streams that flow continuously for at least two months in most years, or flow intermittently and are at least one meter wide. Streams and rivers that have been altered by sedimentation, polluted runoff, bank erosion, thermal pollution, or impoundments less than one meter high are still considered aquatic natural ecosystems. Artificial pools, water treatment lagoons, and irrigation ponds, are not considered natural aquatic ecosystems, unless: a) these water bodies have been colonized by an endangered species; and/or b) the water body was constructed to provide fish or wildlife habitat.

Other wetlands: All naturally occurring wetlands, where the natural hydrological conditions result in either or both of the following conditions:

• Soils are waterlogged for most of the year.

• The land is periodically or permanently inundated by shallow water, including floodplains, wet areas bordering ponds, streams, or the ocean.

For the purposes of the Rainforest Alliance Standards, the following are not considered aquatic natural ecosystems:

• Areas that have been made seasonally or perennially wet due to human activity (such as drainage ditches, irrigation ponds, reservoirs, effluent holding ponds, aquaculture ponds, rice paddies, or gravel pits), unless:

  1. These water bodies have been colonized by an endangered species.

  2. The wetland was created by humans to provide wetland habitat.

Assess-and-Address

A management system through which Certificate Holders identify, mitigate, and monitor risks of Child Labor, Forced Labor, Discrimination, and Workplace Violence and Harassment, then remedy instances that occur. The approach stimulates Certificate Holders to build sustainable capacity over time to identify and address these issues.

Audit

Systematic, independent and documented process for obtaining evidence and evaluating it objectively to determine the extent to which the requirements for certification are fulfilled.^[6]

Basic protective clothing

Apparel and footwear for persons handling pesticides that include coveralls over a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, socks, and stout shoes, chemically resistant gloves, protection for eyes (i.e., a face mask or goggles), and respiratory protection (i.e., a respirator).

Biodiversity

The variety of living organisms including plants, animals, fungi, microorganisms, their functions and interactions, which contribute to ecosystem services, health, stability and resilience.^[7]

Biological input

Natural substances or living organisms, such as compost, manure, biofertilizer, biopesticides, microbial inoculants (Nitrogen-fixing bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi), or plant-based extracts that are used to enhance soil fertility, support plant nutrition and growth, and manage pests and diseases in an environmentally sustainable way.^[8]

Brand owner

An individual, corporation or retail entity which markets a product under a registered brand name or label, this may include private label brands/store brands owned by retail companies. This entity may process and pack the product themselves or via a third party, but they own and are responsible for the brand.

Buffer zone

Areas peripheral to a specific protected area, indicated by the relevant authorities, where restrictions on resource use and/or special development measures are undertaken by the authorities to enhance the conservation value of the protected area.

Byproduct

Are secondary outputs that are generated during the production, processing, or distribution of agricultural products but are not the primary intended product.^[9]

Calendar year

A period of 12 consecutive months starting from January 1^st and ending on December 31^st, based on the Gregorian calendar year.

Certifiable crop

A crop that is on the list of crops that can be certified by the Rainforest Alliance Certification Program.

See Rainforest Alliance Certified Crops.

Certificate Holder

Anyone that is issued a certificate from the Rainforest Alliance. The certificate may be an endorsement issued by the Rainforest Alliance or a certificate issued by a Certification Body. The Certificate Holder may be a farm or a supply chain actor, or an entity managing the certificate for multiple farms or supply chain actors.

Certificate scope

The set of activities, processes, actors, and products that are covered under the certificate of a Certificate Holder.

Certification

Formal recognition given by a Certification Body that a farm, group of farms, or supply chain actors meet the requirements of the Rainforest Alliance Standards.^[10]

Certification Body

A third-party assurance conformity assessment body operating using the Rainforest Alliance Certification Scheme and authorized to conduct audits and issue certificates under the Rainforest Alliance Certification Program.^[11]

Certification scope

The boundaries and scope of the activities, processes, products, or services covered by the Rainforest Alliance Certification Program pertaining to a specific Certificate Holder.

Certified crop

Any crop grown and harvested by the Certificate Holder included in the certificate scope of a Rainforest Alliance Certified farm.

Certified farm

A farm or group of farms certified as meeting the Standards and or any other certification solution of the Rainforest Alliance Certification Program.

Certified product

Products or ingredients originating from a Certified Farm and passed through a certified Supply Chain (regardless of whether such product is sold as certified or incorporated in a certification claim).

Certified volume

The quantity of Rainforest Alliance Certified crops, products or derivatives produced and traded by Certificate Holders, which are verified and have achieved certification under the Rainforest Alliance Certification Program.

Child

Any individual under the age of 18 years.^[12]

Child Labor

Work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential, and their dignity, and that is mentally, physically, socially, or morally dangerous and harmful to children. It includes work that interferes with their schooling by depriving them of the opportunity to attend school or obliging them to leave school prematurely; or requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work.^[13] This includes:

• The Worst Forms of Child Labor: including all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom, and forced or compulsory labor, including forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflict; the use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution, for the production of pornography or pornographic performances; the use, procuring or offering of a child for other illicit activities.^[14]

• Hazardous work: The Worst Forms of Child Labor also include hazardous work, which by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety, or morals of children. This includes but is not limited to carrying heavy loads, work in dangerous locations, in unhealthy situations, at night, or with hazardous substances or equipment, or work over long hours or at height. Countries which have signed the ILO Convention No. 182 are required to develop a national list of tasks that are considered hazardous for children. Where available, these national lists of hazardous tasks apply. In the absence of national lists of hazardous tasks, advice may be sought from competent national authorities such as Departments of Labor, Agriculture, Child Welfare etc., and/or the national ILO office.^[15]

• Underage Child Labor: Work that is conducted by children younger than 15 years of age for the farm, group, or group members, that interferes with their schooling, exceeds 14 hours a week, or is not considered “light work or family work”. In case national law has set the minimum work age at 14 years this age applies. In case national law has set the minimum work age at a higher age than 15, the national minimum age for entering employment applies.^[16]

Please see below a diagram regarding age restrictions between child work and Child Labor.

^{Figure 1. Illustrating the age differences in child work, Child Labor and the Worst Forms of Child Labor.[17]}

Note: Numbers in brackets are the lower minimum ages allowed by ILO for member countries whose economy and educational facilities are insufficiently developed.

Child work

Children’s or adolescents’ participation in work that does not affect their health and personal development or does not interfere with their schooling, is generally regarded as being something positive. This includes activities such as helping their parents around the home, assisting in a family business or earning pocket money outside school hours and during school holidays. These kinds of activities contribute to children’s development and to the welfare of their families; they provide them with skills and experience and help to prepare them to be productive members of society during their adult life.^[18] This includes:

• Regular employment/work: From the age of 15 (in some developing economies 14) children can start general employment or work not exceeding 48 hours per week. In countries where the minimum age is higher or the number of permitted hours of work is lower, the national set minimum age and maximum hours apply. Children’s work should be non-hazardous but should be safe and age-appropriate and not interfere with compulsory education.

• Light work: Work that is not harmful to the health and development of a child, does not interfere with their schooling or training, is under the supervision of an adult, and does not exceed 14 hours a week. In line with ILO Minimum Age Convention No. 138, children aged 12-14 may perform light work in countries with developing economies. In countries where national law does not allow children to perform light work, the national minimum age for entry into employment applies.

• Family work: Farming activities performed by children on their small-scale family/household farms that consist of light, age-appropriate duties that give them an opportunity to develop skills, do not classify as Child Labor provided that the activities are not harmful to their health and development, do not interfere with schooling, and are under the supervision of an adult.

Climate change

Climate change refers to significant changes in global temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind patterns and other weather patterns that occur over several decades or longer. These changes in weather patterns have significant impacts on agricultural conditions, the environment and sea levels on a global level. Current climate change trends are attributed largely to human activity such as the increased levels of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from the use of fossil fuels and changes in land use including deforestation.^[19]

Climate change adaptation

Adjustments to farming practices and management to reduce the negative impacts that current or expected climate change has on crops, farming systems, ecosystems, and livelihoods.^[20]

Climate change mitigation

Human interventions to reduce climate change by reducing the sources of greenhouse gas emissions or enhancing stocks of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the environment.^[21]

Climate-Smart agriculture

A combination of various sustainable methods to tackle the specific challenges from climate change of a specific farming community. It is composed of three main pillars:

• Sustainably increasing agricultural productivity and incomes.

• Adapting and building resilience to climate change.

• Reducing and/or removing greenhouse gas emissions, where possible.^[22]

Community

Groups of people living in the same place or region affected by the existence or operation of a farm, group of farms or company. Rural workers, farm inhabitants, neighbors, Indigenous people, and inhabitants of nearby villages or cities may be communities affected by a specific farm, group of farms or company.

See Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

Competent professional/ technician

An individual with demonstrated professional expertise, skills, experience, and credentials in a specific subject area. For specific technical activities such as flying aircraft or drones for pesticide application, a competent professional/technician is someone licensed or certified by the applicable national authority.

Compost

A stable, humus-like material derived from the controlled biological decomposition of organic matter that can be used as an organic fertilizer to improve soil health and fertility.^[23]

Confidentiality

The duty of an individual/body to refrain from sharing confidential information with others, except with the express consent of the other party and in the case of a child with the permission of its caretakers.

Confirmed case

A case that has been substantiated through an initial investigation with verifiable objective evidence including testimonies, documentation, and/or reports from credible sources leading to the conclusion that a case has occurred. The Rainforest Alliance Remediation Protocol requires that a confirmed case is always followed by an in-depth investigation.

Conformity

A determination that requirements of the Rainforest Alliance Standards have been fulfilled.^[24]

Conservation

Protection of a natural ecosystem against direct or indirect human conversion or degradation. Natural ecosystems may be conserved through any combination of strict preservation, restoration, or sustainable management.

Continuous harvest

Crops which are harvested periodically throughout the year instead of seasonal periods. ^[25]  

Conversion (of land use)

Change of the function or purpose of a land area to another land use, often leading to a profound change in species composition, structure, or function of the natural ecosystem. This includes but is not limited to the conversion of a natural ecosystem to a plantation, cropland, pasture, water reservoirs, infrastructure, mining, and urban areas.

Deforestation is one form of conversion (conversion of forests).

Conversion includes severe degradation, or the introduction of management practices that result in a substantial and sustained change in the ecosystem’s former species composition, structure, or function.

Change in natural ecosystems that meets this definition is considered to be conversion regardless of whether or not it is legal.^[26]

Correction

The immediate actions taken by the Certificate Holder to eliminate a non-conformity. The Certificate Holder must correct all instances of the non-conformity.^[27]

Corrective action

Action to eliminate the cause(s) of a non-conformity and to prevent recurrence.

Corrective actions shall focus on long-term, sustainable solutions, which eliminate the root cause of the non-conformity.^[28]

Corrective measures

Combination of corrections and corrective actions taken by the Certificate Holder to eliminate a non-conformity.

Cover crops

Grasses, legumes, and other plants grown to provide vegetative cover to the soil in the production area. They provide multiple benefits such as reducing erosion, adding organic matter, improving soil structure, moisture retention, fixing nitrogen, suppressing aggressive weeds and enhancing habitat for beneficial organisms.^[29]

Crop rotation

The practice of alternate planting of different species of families of crops over several growing seasons on the same plot in a planned pattern or sequence to break weed, pest and disease cycles and to maintain or improve soil fertility and organic matter content.^[30]

Cut-off date

Specific date set by the Rainforest Alliance after which certain actions, practices or conditions are no longer acceptable and generate a non-conformity with the specific requirement(s).

Data Point

Is information or specific value linked to an indicator and required to be collected by or on behalf of a Certificate Holder and/or producer for analysis.

Debt bondage (bonded labor)

The status or condition arising from a pledge by a debtor of his or her personal services or of those of a person under his or her control as security for a debt. Debt bondage occurs if the value of those services as reasonably assessed is not applied towards the liquidation of the debt, or the length and nature of those services are not limited and defined. Debt bondage (also known as bonded Labor) can manifest in several different ways. It is a form of Forced Labor.^[31]

Deforestation

The conversion of natural forest to agriculture or other land use.

European Union Deforestation Regulation alignment: The conversion of forest to agricultural use, whether human-induced or not, which includes situations caused by natural disasters (e.g. fire then converted into agricultural land).^[32]

Deforestation-free

Production that did not cause or contribute to deforestation. ^[33]

Degradation

Changes within a natural ecosystem that significantly and negatively affect its species composition, structure, and/or function and reduce the ecosystem’s capacity to supply products, support biodiversity, and/or deliver ecosystem services.^[34]

Discrimination

Any distinction, exclusion or preference made based on race, color, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin, and others which has the effect of nullifying or impairing equality of opportunity or treatment in employment or occupation.^[35] Discriminatory practices include, but are not limited to, unequal pay for equal work, unequal access to better-paid jobs and management positions, compulsory pregnancy tests during hiring procedures or at any other moment in the work process.^[36]

Domestic work

Work performed in or for a household or households. Occupations and tasks considered to be domestic work vary across countries; they may include cooking, cleaning, taking care of children, the elderly and the disabled, attending to the garden or pets, or driving the family car.

Child Labor in domestic work refers to situations where domestic work is performed by children below the relevant minimum age or in hazardous conditions or in a slavery-like situation.^[37]

Double selling

The practice of selling the same volume produced or purchased as Rainforest Alliance Certified twice, once under a Rainforest Alliance Standard and again under another Rainforest Alliance Standard, another certification scheme, or as conventional.

For example, 100 MT of coffee produced by a farm can be certified as both organic and Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard and sold as:

• 100 MT Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard Certified only, or

• 100 MT Organic only, or

• 100 MT Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard and Organic (once in one batch) to one buyer.

However, that same volume of coffee cannot be sold as separately 100 MT of organic coffee, as well as 100 MT of Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard or Regenerative Agriculture Certified coffee.

Double selling is not allowed under Rainforest Alliance rules.

Due Diligence

An ongoing risk management process that a company needs to follow in order to ensure responsible compliance with all relevant laws and regulations and avoid negative impacts on the environment or human rights caused directly or indirectly through its operations or those of its supply chain. Due Diligence is exercised through a process to identify, prevent, mitigate, and account for how it addresses adverse human rights and environmental impacts of a company’s operations. It includes four key steps: assessing actual and potential impacts, integrating and acting on the findings, tracking responses, and communicating about how impacts are addressed.^[38]

Earthworm Count

A practical biological method for assessing soil structure, organic matter content and biological activity by measuring the presence and abundance of earthworms in a defined area of soil.^[39]

Ecological Mowing

The mechanical cutting of ground vegetation in a planned and timely manner. This is carried out to manage weeds, suppress invasive species, maintain plant diversity and avoid excessive biomass accumulation. By adjusting timing, frequency, and mowing height, it supports ecosystem functions such as soil health, pollinator habitat, natural pest regulation and reduces competition with crops.^[40]

Economic impact of pests/diseases

The magnitude of potential and actual economic consequences resulting from the introduction, establishment, or spread of a pest/disease in a defined area. This includes reduction in crop yield and productivity, increased production costs from additional control measures, market access restrictions, trade barriers, and environmental degradation affecting agricultural productivity and profitability.^[41]

Ecosystem health

The overall well-being and functional balance and integrity of a natural environment. A healthy ecosystem is one that effectively performs its natural processes, like water purification, pollination, and nutrient cycling, and is resilient to disturbances.

Electricity

A form of energy consisting of flow of electric charges generally in a form that is more useful for converting energy into services such as lighting, heating, transport, and to provide power for machines.^[42]

Emergency

An event in a particular setting and/or location that poses an immediate risk to health, life, livelihood, human rights, property, or environment.

Employee

Person employed by a company, or any related entity, who is subject to the control and direction of the company regarding both the work to be performed and the manner and method of performance.^[43]

Employment contract

A written agreement between the employer such as farm management, group management or company management, and the worker/employee. The employment contract should include information on the job description, working hours, pay rate, overtime regulation, benefits and deductions, annual paid vacation leave, protection from loss of pay in the cases of illness, disability or accident, and the notice period for contract termination.

Empowerment

Refers to equipping people/communities with knowledge, skills, confidence, and resources to control their lives and advocate for their rights. It involves removing participation barriers, addressing inequalities, and offering opportunities to make informed decisions.^[44]

Endorsement

An endorsement is an approval provided directly by the Rainforest Alliance for a Supply Chain Certificate Holder to join the Rainforest Alliance Certification Program.

Entity

See actor.

External audit

An independent audit conducted by a third-party Certification Body to assess Certificate Holders compliance with the Rainforest Alliance Standards.

Family worker

A person (of any gender) who helps another member of the family to run an agricultural holding or other business, provided they are not considered as employees and have common household interests. Worker exchange (persons working for each other without payment) also falls under this definition.

Farm

All land and facilities used for agricultural production and processing activities under the geographical scope of the farm applicable for Rainforest Alliance certification. A farm may be composed of several neighboring or geographically separate farm units within one country, provided that they are under a common management body.  

Farm management

The person or body responsible for planning and managing farm and administrative activities for a certified farm. This includes a Farm Manager or Administrator that has the responsibility to ensure that all the Rainforest Alliance Standards requirements are implemented. Farm management refers to the responsible management body, farm manager, or technical representative who fulfills this function for individual farms or multi-site farms under one owner.

Farm unit

A piece of continuous land with a homogeneous composition and defined boundaries that is part of a farm. A farm can include both agricultural and non-agricultural farm units.  

Farm units may include certified crops, other crops, building facilities, conservation areas, etc. Within the boundaries of a farm unit there may be features such as natural vegetation, water bodies among others.  

^{Figure 2. Illustration of farm units.}

Fertilizer

A chemical or natural substance applied directly to soil or plant foliage that provides essential nutrients to support healthy plant growth and maintenance of soil fertility.^[45]

Fertilizer application plan

A documented plan based on crop nutrient requirements and soil fertility status that defines fertilizer type, timing, methodology and application rates. The plan considers site-specific conditions, such as climate, crop type and soil conditions to minimize nutrients runoff and environment contamination.

Final consumer product

A Rainforest Alliance Certified labelled product that is ready for consumption and requires no further transformation in terms of processing or packaging.

First buyer

The Certificate Holder legally owning the certified product after the initial Farm Certificate Holder.

Five freedoms of animal welfare

Principle to ensure animal's welfare by meeting the following five conditions:

1. Good feeding: The animal is free from hunger, thirst, and malnutrition because it has ready access to drinking water and a suitable diet.

2. Good housing: The animal is free from physical and thermal discomfort because it has access to shelter from the elements and a comfortable resting area.

3. Good health: The animal is free from pain, injury, and disease, thanks to suitable prevention and/or rapid diagnosis and treatment.

4. Appropriate behavior: The animal is able to express most of its normal behavioral patterns because it has sufficient space, proper facilities and the company of other animals of its kind.

5. Protection from fear and distress: The animal does not experience fear or distress, because the conditions needed to prevent mental suffering have been ensured.^[46]

Foliar assessment

The evaluation of plant leaves to determine their physiological condition, nutritional status or response to environmental factors.  Foliar assessments may include visual inspections for signs of nutrient deficiencies or pests and diseases, as well as laboratory leaf tissue analysis to measure nutrient concentrations.

Forced Labor

All work or service required of any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered herself or himself voluntarily.

A person is classified as being in Forced Labor if they are engaged in work that is involuntary (without the free and informed consent of the worker/employee) and is exacted through threats, penalties, or some form of coercion.

Forms of involuntariness can include, but are not limited to:

• Recruitment through a transaction such as slavery or bonded labor.

• State-imposed labor, such as by the military, that does not meet the exceptions provided in ILO Convention 29.

• Involuntary prison labor.

• Unpaid or extremely low-paid work.

• Changes to working conditions (employer, wages, hours, nature of work, conditions/hazards/exposures, time period) without the worker's/employee’s consent.

• Degrading working or living conditions imposed by employer or recruiter.

• Involuntary and excessive overtime.

• Limited freedom to terminate the work contract or agreement.

Forms of coercion can include, but are not limited to:

• Physical or sexual violence.

• Physical confinement.

• Restrictions on movement or communication.

• Fines or other financial penalties.

• Deprivation of food, water, toilets, sleep, or other basic needs.

• Isolation.

• Forced use of drugs or alcohol.

• Debt bondage or manipulation of debt, including manipulation of advances and loans.

• Requiring monetary deposits, financial or collateral guarantees, or personal possessions as a condition of employment.

• Withholding or delay of wages or other benefits.

• Retention of identity or other important documents without the worker’s/employee’s consent and/or without providing workers/employees easy access to them.

• Threats of dismissal, deportation, legal action, or reporting to authorities.^[47]

Forest

Land spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than 5 meters and a canopy cover of more than 10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ. It does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or other land use.  

Forest includes natural forests and tree plantations. For the purpose of implementing no-deforestation supply chains in the context of the Rainforest Alliance certification, the focus is on preventing conversion of natural forests.^[48]

Fossil Fuel

Non-renewable combustible energy resources formed from buried organic materials impacted by heat and pressure over millions of years including coal, oil, and natural gas.^[49]

Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)

The right of Indigenous peoples and other local communities to make free and informed choices about the use or development of their lands and resources. FPIC is implemented through a participatory process involving all affected groups that is carried out prior to the finalization or implementation of any development plans. An FPIC process ensures that communities are not coerced or intimidated; that decisions are reached through communities’ own chosen institutions or representatives; that communities’ consent is sought and freely given prior to the authorization or start of any activities; that communities have full information about the scope of any proposed development and its likely impacts on their lands, livelihoods, and environment; and that ultimately their choices to give or withhold consent are respected.^[50]

Freedom of association

The right of workers/employees and employers, without distinction whatsoever, to establish and join organizations of their own choosing without previous authorization.^[51]

Fungicide

Chemical substances or biological agents designed to prevent, control or eliminate fungi and their spores on plants, agricultural products, stored foods, or ornamental plants.^[52]  

Gender

Socially constructed characteristics of women and men, such as norms, roles, and relationships of and between groups of women and men. It varies from society to society and can be changed.  While most people are born either male or female, they are taught appropriate norms and behaviors – including how they should interact with others of the same or opposite sex within households, communities, and workplaces. Gender Identity is not restricted to male and female as people may identify themselves as both man and woman or as neither.^[53]

Gender    
equality

The equal rights, responsibilities, and opportunities of women, men, girls, and boys. Equality does not mean that women and men will become the same but that women’s and men’s rights, responsibilities and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female. Gender equality implies that the interests, needs, and priorities of both women and men are taken into consideration, recognizing the diversity of different groups of women and men. Gender equality is not a women’s issue but should concern and fully engage men as well as women. Equality between women and men is seen both as a human rights issue and as a precondition for, and indicator of, sustainable people-centered development.^[54]

Gender-Based Discrimination

Any distinction, exclusion or preference made on the basis of sex or gender identity which has the effect of nullifying or impairing equality of opportunity or treatment in employment or occupation. This includes, but is not limited to, Discrimination against women.^[55]

Gender-Based Violence

Violence and Harassment directed at persons because of their sex or gender, or affecting persons of a particular sex or gender disproportionately, it includes Sexual Harassment.

Gender-sensitive

Gender norms, roles, and relations are considered, and actions are taken on the basis of that understanding to address gender inequality and men’s and women’s specific needs, transform harmful gender norms, roles, and relations and promote changes in power relationships between women and men.

Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)

An organism whose genetic material has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination.

Geographical region

A defined cluster of countries which determines the boundaries within which certificates for Multi-site Supply Chain Certificate Holders can be issued.

Geolocation data

Data that identifies the geographic location of farms and boundaries of farms, farm units, and other facilities of Certificate Holders. Geolocation data is represented by coordinates generally collected through Geopositioning Systems (GPS) mapping using either individual location points (including envelopes) or polygons which define the full boundaries of the relevant area.

Grafting

A vegetative plant propagation technique in which tissues of two plants are joined so that they grow together as one. Grafting is used to combine the desirable traits of different plants, for instance to improve resistance to pests and diseases, productivity and climate resilience.^[56]

Green belts

Vegetation zones composed of trees, shrubs, or perennial vegetation established within or around agricultural landscapes to provide multiple environmental benefits such as enhancing biodiversity, improving soil health (including microclimate), protecting against wind, flooding or pollution, and serving as carbon sinks that support climate mitigation.

Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)

Compound gases that trap heat or longwave radiation in the atmosphere. Their presence in the atmosphere makes the Earth’s surface warmer. Human activities are the main source of GHGs. The burning of fossil fuel, deforestation, intensive livestock farming, the use of synthetic fertilizers, and industrial processes all contribute.

Grievance

Is a complaint or concern by any person about another person’s or organization’s actions or about its rules and policies that have negatively affected the complainant.

Grievance mechanism

A process through which individuals, workers/employees, communities, and/or civil society organizations (including whistle-blowers) can raise their complaints of being negatively affected by specific farm or business activities and/or operations. A grievance mechanism may be formal or non-formal, legal or non-legal. It includes the steps of submission of the complaint, treatment, remediation, and monitoring.

Group

An association of organized producers that have a shared Internal Management System (IMS) and are certified together under the Rainforest Alliance Certification Rules. The group of organized producers can be organized in an association or cooperative or managed by a supply chain actor (such as an exporter) or another entity.

Group management

The entity responsible for the development and implementation of the group’s internal management system and for ensuring members’ farms are compliant with the Rainforest Alliance Standards. Group management refers to the responsible management body, group manager, or technical representative who fulfills this function for an association of organized producers that achieve group certification.

Group member

A producer who is certified as part of a group. This person is the actual operator of the farm (e.g. small-sale farmer, sharecropper) and does not need to be the landowner.

Group member representative

A group member chosen or appointed to act or speak on behalf of other group members.

Group staff

Workers who perform work for a Rainforest Alliance Certified group. This includes group management staff (such as internal inspectors and office personnel working for the group management), workers at central locations of production, processing, and maintenance sites.

Habitable area

Total housing area for workers provided by management.

Hazard

A potential source of harm or adverse health effect on a person or persons. Different types of hazards exist including 'physical hazards' (like a slip or trip hazards, fire, working with hot items, or using poorly maintained equipment) or 'health hazards' (like noise, vibration, unsuitable light levels, harmful dust, or stress) or 'chemical hazards’ (like working with products from cleaning agents, glues to pesticides).

Hazardous materials

Materials that can damage persons or the environment. These include used lead-acid batteries, asbestos, energy-saving mercury lamps, E-waste, electric transformers with POPs (PCBs), medical equipment, radioactive material, pesticides, expired human and veterinary medicines, used oils, bio infectious waste, disinfectants, animal parts and carcasses, and particles (ashes, dust, pesticide drifts).

Health and safety

Laws, regulations, rules, principles, and procedures concerning the safety, health, and welfare of workers/employees to prevent accidents or injuries in workplaces or public environments.

This is also referred to as occupational health and safety (OHS) and non-occupational health and safety for the safety of activities inside and outside of work.

Herbicide

Chemical or biological substances designed to destroy or inhibit the growth of unwanted plants, such as weeds and invasive species without harming agricultural crops.^[57]

High Conservation Value (HCV)

Biological, ecological, social or cultural values which are considered outstandingly significant or critically important, at the national, regional or global level:

HCV1: Concentrations of biological diversity including endemic species, rare, and threatened or endangered species, that are significant at global, regional or national levels.

HCV2: Intact forest landscapes and large landscape-level ecosystems and ecosystem mosaics that are significant at global, regional or national levels, and that contain viable populations of the great majority of the naturally occurring species in natural patterns of distribution and abundance.

HCV3: Rare, threatened, or endangered ecosystems, habitats or refugia.

HCV4: Basic ecosystem services in critical situations, including protection of water catchments and control of erosion of vulnerable soils and slopes.

HCV5: Sites and resources fundamental for satisfying the basic necessities of local communities or Indigenous peoples (for livelihoods, health, nutrition, water, etc.), identified through engagement with these communities or Indigenous peoples.

HCV6: Sites, resources, habitats and landscapes of global or national cultural, archaeological or historical significance, and/or of critical cultural, ecological, economic or religious/sacred importance for the traditional cultures of local communities or Indigenous peoples, identified through engagement with these local communities or Indigenous peoples.^[58]

A specific Rainforest Alliance guidance document for the conservation of HCV areas and Natural Ecosystems includes more detailed definitions and instructions for identifying HCV areas.

Household

A household is a social and economic unit consisting of one or more individuals who usually reside together, share living arrangements, and pool resources for daily subsistence. Household members may or may not be related by blood or marriage. They include individuals who normally live in the dwelling, as well as dependents temporarily living elsewhere (e.g., students away at school). Employees or domestic workers who usually reside and share meals with the household may also be considered members. Household composition may change over time in response to social, economic, and personal circumstances. Households can be headed by men, women, or children, with the latter two often facing greater vulnerability and economic challenges.^[59]

Housing

A shelter which provides protection from the elements (such as, but not limited to, rain, precipitation, wind, heat, cold, humidity, the brightness of the sun) and acts as protection against predators. Safe, clean, and decent housing is a critical element of human wellbeing and worker rights and should offer adequate living conditions in terms of location and construction, health and hygiene and comfort and decency.

Human rights

Universal and basic rights available to every person simply because they are human beings - they are not granted by any state. These universal rights are inherent to all humans, regardless of nationality, sex, ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other status.

Hunting

The chasing and killing of an animal for food, sport, or profit.

Identity Preserved

A traceability option in which it is possible to identify the Rainforest Alliance Certified ingredient or product back to a Farm Certificate Holder. This is the most stringent traceability type. There is no mixing of certified ingredient or product with non-certified ingredient or product, or with each other. If a certified product is from different certified sources/farms, but identity is preserved throughout the supply chain, the subtype Mixed Identity Preserved (Mixed IP) can be applied.

Imminent danger

Any conditions, situations, or practices which could reasonably be expected to cause death or serious physical harm, either immediately or before the threat can be eliminated.

Indicator

Quantitative or qualitative factor or variable of interest that provides a means to track and understand changes and performance relating to the scheme, its clients, or both^[60].

Indigenous Peoples and local communities

Distinct groups of people who satisfy any of the more commonly accepted definitions of Indigenous peoples, which consider (among other factors) whether the collective:^[61]

• Has pursued its own concept and way of human development in a given socio-economic, political, and historical context.

• Has tried to maintain its distinct group identity, languages, traditional beliefs, customs, laws and institutions, worldviews, and ways of life.

• Has at one time exercised control and management of the lands, natural resources, and territories that it has historically used and occupied, with which it has a special connection, and upon which its physical and cultural survival typically depends.

• Self-identifies as Indigenous peoples.

• Descends from populations whose existence pre-dates the colonization of the lands within which it was originally found or of which it was then dispossessed.

For the purpose of the Rainforest Alliance Standards, this definition is also taken to include other local communities that share key traits with Indigenous peoples, such as:

• Attaching particular meaning to land and natural resources as sources of culture, customs, history, and identity.

• Depending on land and natural resources for their cultural and physical survival, including sustenance of livelihoods, social organization, culture, traditions, and beliefs.

• Using and managing land in accordance with customary tenure systems, which may or may not be formally recognized by state authorities.

Inorganic fertilizers

Man-made or synthetic substances primarily produced from inorganic chemical compounds and/or minerals. They provide essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium directly to crops and the soil.^[62]

Insecticide

Chemical or biological substances designed to prevent, control, or eliminate insects and other arthropods that cause damage to plants, agricultural products, stored foods, or ornamental plants. Their use aims to protect productivity, reduce production losses, improve product quality, and prevent damage.^[63]

Insignificant risk

A risk that has a very low likelihood of occurring and, if it does occur, would have minimal impact on objectives. This type of risk is often considered negligible and does not require extensive management or mitigation efforts.^[64]

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

The careful evaluation and integration of all available pest control methods to prevent or minimize pest populations while keeping pesticides and other interventions at economically justified levels and reducing risks to human health and the environment. IPM promotes the growth of healthy crops and livestock with minimal disruption to agro-ecosystems, encourages natural pest control mechanisms, and bases the use of pesticides on regular monitoring of pest or disease infestations.^[65]

Integrated Weed Management (IWM)

A land management approach that combines complementary weed control methods such as grazing, herbicide application, fallowing, mechanical control, and biological control to achieve the most effective, sustainable and context-specific solutions for managing weeds.  IWM aims to reduce weed pressure, protect crop productivity, minimize environmental impact, and promote long-term sustainability of agroecosystems.^[66]

Intermediary

Any actor that trades (buys and sells) and/or handles Rainforest Alliance Certified product for a farm or Supply Chain Certificate Holder.

Common examples of intermediaries in Rainforest Alliance Certified supply chains are small traders such as "pisteurs" in Cote d'Ivoire or "manavs" in Türkiye, who source from producers to supply a Farm Certificate Holder. As they handle low volumes, Rainforest Alliance does not require intermediaries to be independently certified or registered in the Rainforest Alliance platforms. However, they shall comply with applicable requirements from the Rainforest Alliance Standards, and the Certificate Holder management shall take responsibility for their compliance.

Internal inspection

Farm scope: First or second party audit conducted by a person(s) (internal inspector(s)) designated by group management that checks compliance of all member farms and farm units with all applicable Rainforest Alliance Standards requirements.

Supply chain scope: First or second party audit conducted by a person(s) (internal inspector(s)) designated by management that checks compliance with all entities covered within the certification scope with all applicable Rainforest Alliance Standards requirements.

Internal Management System (IMS)

A documented system of quality management with the purpose to facilitate an efficient organization and management of the group and of ensuring that the group and group members comply with the applicable requirements of the Rainforest Alliance Standards.

Invasive species

A plant or animal species or subspecies that is not native to a given place, and whose presence or introduction in that place causes or is likely to cause economic harm, environmental harm, or harm to human health.^[67]

For the Rainforest Alliance Standards, invasive species are the ones referenced by IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) as 100 of the World's Worst Invasive Alien Species. Crop or livestock species are not considered invasive species.

See 100 of the World's Worst Invasive Alien Species

Investigation audit

An unannounced audit that can be carried out by either the Rainforest Alliance or a Certification Body to confirm compliance with the standard requirements in response to a specific grievance, reported incident, or substantial information regarding the conformity of the Certificate Holder.

Irrigation

The artificial application of water to soil or crops to supplement natural rainfall, optimize plant growth, and sustain agricultural productivity^[68].

Labor Provider

An agency, subagent or individual that offers labor recruitment and placement services such as supplying permanent, temporary or seasonal workers to farms or production facilities. Labor providers can take many forms, whether for-profit or non- profit.

Labor rights/

worker rights

The rights and protections granted to workers/employees in the workplace, ensuring that they work under fair and safe conditions. These rights are designed to protect individuals from exploitation, Discrimination, and unsafe working environments, while also ensuring fair compensation and the ability to organize or form unions.^[69]

Large farm

All farms with 10 or more permanent workers. Large farms may be certified either individually or as part of a group.

Light work

Children between 12 and 15 years are permitted to carry out work that is not harmful to health and development and does not interfere with their schooling or training. The child must be under the supervision of an adult, and work shall not exceed 14 hours a week.^[70]

Living income

The net annual earnings required for a household to afford a decent standard of living for all members of that household. Elements of a decent standard of living include food, water, housing, education, healthcare, transportation, clothing, and other essential needs, including provisions for unexpected events.

The living income recognizes that the income that a household earns can come from multiple sources. In the case of small-scale farmers, for example, income can be earned through off-farm business and remittances as well as from crop sales.^[71]

Living Wage

The remuneration received for a standard workweek by a worker in a particular place sufficient to afford a decent standard of living for the worker and their family. Elements of a decent standard of living include food, water, housing, education, health care, transportation, clothing, and other essential needs, including provision for unexpected events.^[72]

Living Wage benchmark

A living wage estimate for a specific time period, region and/or crop. ^[73]

Location point

A pair of latitude/longitude coordinates collected through Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Data. The location point is a single data point. It can be used to represent the location of a farm/farm unit when no polygon information is available.

Lost product

Product damaged to the extent that it can no longer be sold.

Management plan

A document developed by management that describes the goals and actions to be implemented for compliance with the Rainforest Alliance Standards. The actions can include risk mitigation measures, remediation of human rights issues, flow chart and procedures for volume/product, and provision of services for employees/workers and or group members, as training, technical assistance, and awareness-raising activities. The Management Plan indicates details on the actions such as the timeline, frequency, responsible person, target group, and status.

Management representative

Person with decision making power appointed by management to participate in committees, be accountable for and support implementation of topics such as human rights issues and grievance mechanism.

Mandated user rights

Authorization is given to a Supply Chain Certificate Holder to make transactions in the traceability platform on behalf of a Farm Certificate Holder.

Market price

The price commonly paid for a product of the same quality and origin produced conventionally (i.e. non-certified).

Mass balance

Administrative traceability that allows a Certificate Holder to claim a product which is not certified as Rainforest Alliance Certified when the equivalent quantity was sourced as Rainforest Alliance Certified.

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

A document that provides relevant to occupational safety and health information relating to the use of the product/substance. This can include but is not limited to instructions for safe use, handling instructions, appropriate PPE, potential hazards associated with a particular material or product, along with spill-handling procedures.

Maximum Residues Level  (MRLs)

The legally established highest concentration of a pesticide or chemical residue that is permitted to remain on or in a food product. MRLs serve as indicators of the proper and safe use of pesticides, ensuring consumer safety, facilitating international trade, and helping regulators monitor compliance with pesticide regulations.^[74]

Microbiological indicators

Properties and measurements that reflect the activity, diversity, or health of soil microorganisms. Examples include microbial biomass, enzyme activity, microbial diversity, and soil respiration. These indicators provide information about soil biological function and improvement, which are used to assess soil fertility, nutrient cycling, and the impact of agricultural practices.

Microbiota (soil)

The community of living microorganisms inhabiting the soil, including bacteria, fungi, yeasts or viruses. These microorganisms contribute to nutrients cycling, organic matter decomposition and drive critical soil biological processes influencing soil structure, fertility and plant health. In agriculture, soil microbiota is essential for maintaining productive and resilient cropping systems.^[75]

Microorganism count

The quantitative measurement of the presence of soil microbiota used as an indicator of soil health. It provides information about biological activity and the soil’s capacity to support nutrient cycling and plant growth.^[76]

Migrant worker

A person who is migrating within a country and/or across international borders for work.

Minimum wage

The minimum amount of remuneration that an employer is required to pay wage earners for the work performed during a given period, which cannot be reduced by collective agreement or an individual contract.

Minor Conversion

A small amount of conversion that is insignificant in the context of a given site because of its small area and because it does not significantly affect the conservation values of natural ecosystems or the services and values, they provide to people^[77].

Mulching

The practice of covering the soil surface with organic or inorganic materials to conserve soil moisture, regulate soil temperature, suppress weed growth, prevent erosion and improve soil health, enhancing soil structure and microbial activity. Some examples of organic mulch are live or decaying vegetation such as crop residues, straws, leaves, grass clippings, or compost.^[78]

Multi-farm

Two or more farms owned or rented by one entity whose operations and farming practices are managed centrally, regardless of certification.

Multi-site

An organization that does not have farming in the scope of its Rainforest Alliance certification and has an identified central location under which two or more sites are operating.

Native Vegetation

Native vegetation refers to indigenous plant species that occur naturally in a specific geographic region or ecosystem that are well adapted due to evolution over hundreds and thousands of years without human intervention. They play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem balance and biodiversity.^[79]

Natural ecosystem

An ecosystem that substantially resembles – in terms of species composition, structure, and ecological function – one that is or would be found in a given area in the absence of major human impacts. This includes human-managed ecosystems where much of the natural species’ composition, structure, and ecological function are present. Natural ecosystems include all-natural terrestrial ecosystems (including natural forests, woodlands, shrublands, savannahs, grasslands, and paramo) and all natural aquatic ecosystems.

Natural ecosystems include:

• Largely “pristine” natural ecosystems that have not been subject to major human impacts in recent history.

• Regenerated natural ecosystems that were subject to major impacts in the past (for instance by agriculture, livestock raising, tree plantations, or intensive logging) but where the main causes of impact have ceased or greatly diminished, and the ecosystem has attained species composition, structure and ecological function similar to prior or other contemporary natural ecosystems.

• Managed natural ecosystems (including many ecosystems that could be referred to as “semi-natural”) where much of the ecosystem’s composition, structure, and ecological function are present; this includes managed natural forests as well as native grasslands or rangelands that are, or have historically been, grazed by livestock.

Natural ecosystems that have been partially degraded by anthropogenic or natural causes (e.g., harvesting, fire, climate change, invasive species, or others) but where the land has not been converted to another use and where much of the ecosystem’s composition, structure, and ecological function remain present or are expected to regenerate naturally or by management for ecological restoration.^[80]

Natural enemies

Organisms that occur naturally in ecosystems, that kill, decrease the reproductive potential, or otherwise decrease the population of another organism. They are key components of integrated pest management programs and include predators, parasitoids, and pathogens. Their conservation and augmentation help to maintain ecological balance and reduce the need for chemical pest control.^[81]

Natural forests

Forests that are natural ecosystems and possess many or most of the characteristics of a forest native to the given site, including species composition, structure, and ecological function. Natural forests include:

• Primary forests that have not been subject to major human impacts in recent history.

• Regenerated (second-growth) forests that were subject to major impacts in the past (for instance by agriculture, livestock raising, tree plantations, or intensive logging) but where the main causes of impact have ceased or greatly diminished and the ecosystem has attained much of the species composition, structure, and ecological function of prior or other contemporary natural ecosystems

• Managed natural forests where much of the ecosystem’s composition, structure, and ecological function exist in the presence of activities such as:

  1. Harvesting of timber or other forest products, including management to promote high-value species.

  2. Low intensity, small-scale cultivation within the forest, such as less-intensive forms of swidden agriculture in a forest mosaic.

• Forests that have been partially degraded by anthropogenic or natural causes (e.g., harvesting, fire, climate change, invasive species, or others) but where the land has not been converted to another use and where degradation does not result in the sustained reduction of tree cover below the thresholds that define a forest or sustained loss of other main elements of ecosystem composition, structure, and ecological function

Natural forests may be delineated using the High Carbon Stock Approach (HCSA) methodology; generally, HCSA land-cover categories high-density forest (HDF), medium-density forest (MDF), low-density forest (LDF), and young regeneration (YR) are all considered types of natural forest.^[82]

Natural tree vegetation cover

Areas on the farm covered by the canopy of native or locally adapted tree species. These areas are maintained or established to contribute to ecosystem resilience by protecting the soil, increasing water retention, supporting biodiversity, regulating microclimates and carbon sequestration. Tree vegetation cover is managed according to applicable national legislation and international commitments.^[83]

Natural vegetation

Vegetation made up predominantly of native or locally adapted species, resembling in species composition and structure the vegetation that occurs or would occur in the absence of human interference. Natural vegetation may be managed (or, in the case of restoration, established) to incorporate a minority component of exotic species if these are beneficial for regenerating the land, adapting the ecosystem to current or future climates, and/or enhancing biodiversity. If invasive species are present, natural vegetation is managed to reduce their presence.

Nitrogen-fixing trees

Trees able to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form that plants can use. This process enriches the soil, supports the growth of other plants and reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers. Examples of nitrogen-fixing trees are leguminous tree species.^[84]

Non- application zone

An area where no pesticides are applied. The distance in meters indicates the width of the non-application zone and depends on the method by which the pesticide is applied, as follows:

1. 5 meters, if applied by mechanical, hand-assisted and targeted application methods, such as knapsack sprayers, banding, baiting, specific granule placement, soil or plant injection, seed treatments, and weed wiping.

2. 10 meters, if applied by broadcast or pressurized spray application methods, such as motorized sprayers or spray booms, air blast sprayers, or foggers (Ultra Low Volume fogging machines) depending on the equipment’s technical specifications.

Non-administrative worker

Workers who carry out physical tasks on the farm/field or at other farm sites (nursery, processing unit, purchasing centers, warehouses, etc.) and those who work as security guards, drivers, cleaning workers, cooks, postmen, gardeners, and general workers. Excludes staff who perform their work in the office, internal inspectors or who have the mandate as supervisors in the field/processing units, etc.

Non-conformity

No complete fulfillment of a requirement in the Rainforest Alliance Standards.^[85]

Obsolete pesticides

Pesticides with registration that has been cancelled, withdrawn or suspended and can no longer be used for their intended purpose. They must therefore be disposed of safely according to regulatory requirements.^[86]

Obsolete rules, laws

The term is applied to statutes which have become inoperative by lapse of time, either because the reason for their enactment has passed away, or their subject matter no longer exists, or they are not applicable to changed circumstances, or are tacitly disregarded by all men, yet without being expressly abrogated or repealed. Any determination that a rule or law is obsolete, must be priory approved by the Rainforest Alliance.

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)

Health, safety and welfare issues in the workplace which are aimed at making the workplace better for the worker/employee and other stakeholders. There is a strong focus on the primary prevention of hazards. OHS can include laws, standards, programs, and voluntary programs.

Off-property accommodation

Accommodation that is used by temporary workers to stay for the duration of their temporary job but that is not necessarily provided by the farm, e.g., official and non-official tent camps, collective lodging close to the fields.

Organic fertilizer

Substances from plant or animal sources that contain plant nutrients and are used as fertilizers. Examples include compost, manure, peat, and slurry.^[87]

Organic nutrient sources

Materials derived from living organisms or their byproducts that supply nutrients to crops and improve soil fertility and structure. These include compost, animal manure, crop residues and cover crops. Their use improves long-term soil health and reduces dependence on synthetic fertilizers.^[88]  

Outgrower

A contractual partnership between growers or landholders and a company for the production of commercial products.

Overtime

Hours worked in excess of regular working hours.

Permanent worker/

employee

A person with a work contract that does not have a predetermined end date of employment.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Clothing or equipment worn to reduce exposure to hazards that may cause illness or injury. Such hazards may include chemical, biological, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other type. Personal protective equipment may include items such as gloves, safety glasses and shoes, earplugs or muffs, hard hats, respirators, or coveralls, vests and full body suits.^[89]

Pests

Any species, strain, or biotype of plant (e.g., weeds), animal (e.g., nematodes, insects, arthropods, rodents), or pathogenic agent (e.g., fungi, bacteria, viruses) that can cause harm to plants, plant products, or agricultural production. Pests may reduce crop yield, quality, or marketability and can disrupt ecological balance, making their management essential in sustainable agriculture.^[90]

Pesticide

Any chemical or biological substance, or a mixture of substances, intended to repel, destroy or control pests and unwanted species of plants or animals that cause harm or interfere with the production, processing, storage, transport or marketing of food and agricultural commodities. The term also includes substances used as defoliants, desiccants or agents for fruit thinning or preventing premature drop.

Pesticides may be applied to crops before or after harvest to protect the commodities from deterioration during storage and transport.^[91]

Piece work

Work paid based on the unit performed instead of the time spent working.

Polygon (geographic polygons)

A geographic boundary that encloses an area representing a farm/farm unit. Such polygons can be mapped and coded with essential data about the farm (referred to as attributes), such as farm ID, farm area (hectares), production area, crop, owner, certification status.

Post-harvest

The crop production stage immediately following the harvest. This can include handling, cleaning, storage, sorting, processing, packaging, and transportation.

Pre-harvest interval

The time between the last pesticide application and the permitted harvest of the treated crops or in the treated area. This interval varies according to the pesticide applied.

Premium

An additional monetary payment on top of the market price, quality premiums, or other differentials, paid to the producing Farm Certificate Holder by buyers of Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture and/or Regenerative Agriculture Certified volumes.

Processing

The process of physically altering certified product resulting in a different output (e.g. manufacturing, roasting, blending).

Producer

A person (either male or female) who owns and/or operates an agricultural enterprise, either commercially or to sustain themselves or their family.

Protected area

An area of land declared or designated by relevant authorities as protected because of its recognized natural, ecological and/or cultural values to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem assets and cultural values. Examples include national parks, wildlife refuges, biological or forestry reserves, private reserves, and areas within UNESCO Biosphere reserves or World Heritage Sites. Production might be allowed in a protected area under applicable law, which can constitute a certain zoning in a management plan (multi-use zones), a certain category of protected areas (IUCN categories V, VI), or permits (for example, admitted farms).

Pruning

Seasonal or annual activity to remove dead, diseased or non-productive branches, to manage pests and diseases and/or to manage crop load.

Rainforest Alliance claim

Any reference made about the Rainforest Alliance Certification or about the sourcing of a Rainforest Alliance Certified product or ingredient(s). A claim can be made on-product or off-product, and/or in relation to the offering or selling of the product. This can be both business-to-business and business-to-consumer.^[92]

Recruitment fee

Any fee or related cost incurred in the recruitment process in order for workers to secure employment or placement, regardless of the manner, timing, or location of their imposition or collection.

Regenerative agriculture

A holistic and system-based way of farming which uses agroecological principles to increase crop resilience, restore soil health, enhance biodiversity, improve water cycles and capture carbon. These practices support stable livelihoods and contribute to climate resilience.^[93]

Regular working hours

Regular working hours are the number of hours that are worked according to the contract of the worker/employee, during the day, week, month and/or year, excluding overtime.

Rehabilitation of crops

A set of agronomic practices aimed at restoring or improving the productivity, health and density of aging, diseased, or underperforming tree crops without replacing them. It includes grafting, stumping and pruning.^[94]  

Rejuvenation of crops

Tree crop maintenance practice that includes pruning or stumping to rejuvenate existing trees without replacing them. These activities are typically carried out on a cycle of two to 10 years with the aim of rejuvenating some or all main stems / primary branches. Depending on the cycle, it is applied to 10 to 50 percent of the certified crop acreage.

Remediated case

A confirmed case of Child Labor, Forced Labor, Discrimination, and/or Workplace Violence and Harassment that was remediated according to the Rainforest Alliance Remediation Protocol.

Remediation / Remedy

Terms used interchangeably or in combination with one another to refer to both the process of providing redress for a negative impact and the substantive outcomes that can counteract, or make good, the negative impact.^[95]

These outcomes may take a range of forms such as apologies, restitution, rehabilitation, restoration, financial or non-financial compensation, and punitive sanctions (whether criminal or administrative, such as fines), as well as the prevention of harm through, for example, injunctions or guarantees of non-repetition.

Remnant forest trees

Trees on the farm that were part of the original natural ecosystem on the land and have a high value for biodiversity. They are usually older and larger than other trees that have been planted and managed within the agricultural or agroforestry system.

Renewable energy

Energy obtained from sources that are essentially inexhaustible, unlike, for example, fossil fuels, of which there is a finite supply.  Renewable sources of energy include wood, waste, geothermal, wind, photovoltaic, and solar thermal energy^[96].

Renovation of crops

Farm practice aimed at restoring or improving tree crop health, productivity, and density. It involves completely removing old, unproductive trees in an area and replacing them with new ones or adding new plants within existing plantations or planting on new land.^[97]

Reported case

A complaint related to Child Labor, Forced Labor, Discrimination and/ or Workplace Violence and Harassment that has been submitted into the grievance mechanism(s) and is recorded by the Grievance Committee.

Resistant plant  variety

Plants that have the ability to withstand, deter or repel pests and diseases preventing them from causing damage.  Resistant varieties reduce the need for chemical pest control.^[98]

Responsible business conduct

Ensuring the protection of the environment, people, and society is integrated within the core of business practice and conduct. Responsible business conduct entails above all, compliance with laws such as those on respecting human rights, environmental protection, labor relations, and financial accountability, even where these are poorly enforced by legal means.^[99]

Restricted Entry Intervals (REI)

The minimum period of time that must elapse after a pesticide application before workers can safely re-enter the treated area without protective clothing or equipment. The duration varies depending on the pesticide, its toxicity, formulation, application method, and the crop.^[100]

Retaliation

The act of an employer punishing an employee/worker for engaging in legally protected activity. Retaliation can include any negative job action, such as demotion, discipline, firing, salary reduction, or job or shift reassignment. But retaliation can also be more subtle like changing tasks.

Riparian buffer

An area of permanent vegetation (trees, shrubs, and grasses) located along the banks of rivers, streams, and other water bodies where crops and livestock are not present. They serve as protective zones that filter pollutants, stabilize banks, provide wildlife habitat, and regulate water temperature, improving overall water quality.^[101]

Risk

The probability of occurrence of a potentially adverse situation, measured by combining the likelihood of the event and the severity of its consequences.^[102]

Risk assessment

A systematic process to identify and analyze the issues that could impact compliance with the requirements of the Rainforest Alliance Standards and reaching the expected sustainability outcomes. The Rainforest Alliance has developed a Risk Assessment Tool to support this analysis.

Risk mitigation measures

Actions taken to prevent negative events from happening, and/or to diminish their effects.^[103]

Rodenticide

Rodenticides are chemical or biological substances designed to prevent, control, or eliminate rodents that cause damage to plants, agricultural products, stored foods, or related facilities. Their use aims to protect productivity, reduce economic losses, ensure food safety, and prevent damage to production and storage systems

Root cause analysis

Method to identify the underlying causes of non-conformities or problems, including an evaluation of the extent and scale of the problem identified to determine if it has occurred elsewhere.^[104]

Royalty

Amounts payable to the Rainforest Alliance set forth in the Royalty Schedule, as attached to the Rainforest Alliance License Agreement General Terms and Conditions, for the use of the RA Marks or the right to purchase or sell Sustainable Agriculture Certified and/or Regenerative Agriculture Certified volumes.

Runoff  

Water that flows over the surface of the land instead of soaking into the soil. Runoff can carry soil, fertilizers, and pesticides away from fields, reducing soil fertility and potentially polluting nearby rivers, lakes, or other water bodies.^[105]

Safe drinking water

Water that is of such quality that humans can consume it without risk of immediate or long-term harm.

Safe drinking water parameters based on the WHO are as follows:

Sanitary, Sanitation

The provision of facilities and services for the safe disposal of human excreta. The word “sanitation” also applies to the maintenance of hygienic conditions, through services such as garbage collection and wastewater disposal.^[106]

Scope of certification

See certification scope.

Seasonal workers

See temporary workers.

Segregation

A traceability process in which the certified product is kept separate from the non-certified product and from each other, both physically and on documentation. This segregation occurs during all receipt, processing, packaging, storage, and transportation stages of the supply chain. There is no mixing of non-certified product with certified product. This means that the full product content is certified, although it can come from different certified sources/farms, including other countries of origin.

Self- assessment

An evaluation of the compliance against the applicable requirements of the Rainforest Alliance Standards conducted by the Certificate Holder. It is carried out annually and includes the compliance of subcontractors, service providers, and labor providers (where applicable).

For large farms that are members of a mixed group, the self-assessment can be done either through an internal inspection by group management or a self-assessment by the management of the large farm.

For groups, the self-assessment includes the internal inspections of the group members and the self-assessment of the group management against the applicable requirements.

Service provider

An organization or individual contracted by farm management or producer to carry out specific tasks included in the scope of their Rainforest Alliance certification, within the physical limits of the farm. By definition, service providers do not take legal ownership of the Rainforest Alliance Certified product.

Sewage

Wastewater and waste solids that contain fecal matter. Any wastewater stream that includes discharge from toilets is considered as sewage, whether or not it is mixed with greywater.

Sex

The different biological and physiological characteristics of males and females, such as reproductive organs, chromosomes, hormones, etc. It is universal and mostly unchanging, without surgery.^[107]

Sexual Harassment

Sex-based behavior that is unwelcome and offensive to its recipient. For Sexual Harassment to exist these two conditions must be present:

“Quid Pro Quo” when a job benefit - such as a pay rise, a promotion, or even continued employment - is made conditional on the victim acceding to demands to engage in some form of sexual behavior.

A hostile working environment in which the conduct creates conditions that are intimidating or humiliating for the victim.

Behavior that qualifies as Sexual Harassment:

• Physical: violence, touching, unnecessary proximity

• Verbal: Comments and questions about the appearance, lifestyle, sexual orientation, offensive phone calls.

• Non-Verbal: Whistling, sexually-suggestive gestures, display of sexual materials.^[108]

Shade- tolerant crop

A crop species that is adapted to live under full or partial shade.

Shade tree

Wide range of woody perennial trees that provide shade cover in the farm unit with the certified crop. Shade trees provide a variety of ecosystem services, such as protection and enhancement of biodiversity, increased soil fertility, control of pests and diseases, microclimate regulation, carbon sequestration and water and soil conservation. Shade trees may also provide economic benefits, such as fruit, timber, or other products.^[109]

Sharecropper

Tenant farmer who works the land of a landowner for a share of the crop or a percentage of the sales of the crop.

Shipment

The physical transport of Rainforest Alliance Certified product from one to the next Certificate Holder.

Significant risk

A risk that has a high likelihood of occurring and a substantial impact on objectives. This type of risk requires special attention and management due to its potential to cause considerable harm or disruption.

Site

A geographically separate entity belonging to a Certificate Holder (Farm or Supply Chain) where a specific number and type of operations are conducted.

Slow-release fertilizer

A type of fertilizers that gradually releases nutrients over time, instead of all at once. This helps to reduce nutrient loss, saves time, and reduces the need to apply fertilizer regularly. Some slow-release fertilizers can be coated or specially made so the nutrients are released gradually as the plants need them.^[110]

Small farm

All farms with fewer than 10 permanent workers. Small farms may be certified either individually or as part of a group.

Soft weeds

Plants that grow naturally among crops (often herbaceous) but do not spread aggressively or compete significantly for nutrients, water, or sunlight. They are easily managed within Integrated Weed Management practices and can provide ecological and agronomic benefits without causing economic harm. These benefits include improving soil structure, preventing erosion, attracting pollinators and natural pest predators, and suppressing more aggressive weeds.^[111]

Soil assessment

A systematic process to analyze the conditions of the soil by observing its characteristics such as the soil texture, soil structure, soil-hydrology, soil profile, topography, organic matter, vegetation aspects, and land uses. The purpose of the soil assessment is to support crop choice and soil and water management measures.

Soil health indicators

Measurable biological, chemical, or physical properties of soil that reflect its fertility, productivity, and overall ecological condition. These indicators help monitor soils’ ability to support plant growth, regulate water, cycle nutrients, and sustain biodiversity.^[112]

Soil organic matter (SOM)

Are the organic compounds in the soil derived from plant and animal residues, living organisms, and decomposed materials. SOM is a key biological indicator of soil health because it supports microbial life, nutrient cycling, and overall ecosystem functioning. It also reflects the amount of recycled biomass and nutrients returned to the soil, usually expressed as a percentage.^[113]

Spray drift

The airborne movement, and unintentional deposition, of agrochemicals outside the target area.

Stumping

It is the practice of cutting back the unproductive tree crops stems or trunks to encourage new growth from the stump, aiming to rejuvenate them and boost productivity without replacement.

Subcontractor

An organization or individual contracted to carry out one or more specific operations on the certified products, for example, processing, storing, packaging, and/or labelling products.

Supplier

An individual, company, or organization that provides goods or services to another entity. Suppliers play a crucial role in the supply chain by ensuring that the necessary materials, products, or services are available to meet the demands of their customers.

Supply chain actor

Any organization that relates to the certified product from its production up to its final sale.

Supply Chain Risk Assessment (SCRA)

Part of the registration process, consisting of a series of questions based on which the Rainforest Alliance Certification Platform evaluates the potential risks of a Supply Chain Certificate Holder's operations to determine the type and frequency of verification required.

Surprise audit

Also known as an unannounced audit, is an audit conducted without prior notice to the organization being audited. This type of audit helps identify discrepancies or areas of non-compliance that may not be evident during regular, scheduled audits.

Synthetic fertilizer

See inorganic fertilizer

Temporary worker/

employee

A worker/employee with a contract, or expected work period, of fewer than 12 months.

Threatened animals and plants

Species designated as threatened or endangered by national laws or classification systems and/or designated on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable and/or listed in Appendices I, II, or III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Threshold levels

The maximum level of damage (or symptoms of damage) by a pest or disease occurring on/in a plant or plant population, that can be accepted before particular measures should be taken to control the pest or disease. If the damage increases the economic losses will be superior to the costs of control.

Tolerant plant variety

A plant that can endure pests, diseases, or environmental stressors without significant reduction in yield or quality, even though the pest or pathogen may still be present in the plant or field. Although some damage may occur, the plant maintains acceptable performance, contributing to sustainable crop management and reducing reliance on chemical control measures.

Toxicity of pesticides

The capacity of a pesticide to cause adverse effects in living organisms, including humans, animals, plants, or the environment. Such effects may manifest as functional impairments, pathological lesions, or a reduced ability of the organism to respond to stress factors. The magnitude and type of damage depend on the nature of the pesticide, its formulation, the dose, and the route of exposure. Toxicity is therefore a key element in assessing and mitigating the impact of pesticide use.

Traceability Platform

A digital Rainforest Alliance platform to report transactions and activities of certified volume throughout the supply chain.

Traceability type

Method used for handling certified volumes and tracing them back to their origin, for example: mass balance, segregation, and identity preserved.

Vegetative barriers

Barriers of plants designed to mitigate drift of pesticide spraying and having the following characteristics:

• Barriers are at least as high as the crop or, in the case of ground-based pesticide applications, the height of the spray equipment’s application valves over the ground, whichever is higher.

• Barriers are composed of plants that maintain their foliage all year, but which are permeable to airflow, allowing the barrier to capture pesticide drops.

Verification

Is the process of confirming, through the provision of objective evidence, that specified requirements have been fulfilled.^[114]

Vertebrate

An organism distinguished by the possession of a backbone or spinal column, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes.

Volatilization

The process by which a substance, such as a nutrient from fertilizer (typically nitrogen in the form of ammonia or urea) or certain pesticides, is converted into a gaseous form and lost to the atmosphere. This process can reduce nutrient use efficiency and crop uptake, decrease pesticide effectiveness, and contribute to environmental issues such as air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and chemical drift.^[115]

Vulnerable group

Groups that experience a higher risk of poverty and social exclusion than the general population. Ethnic minorities, Indigenous people, migrants, disabled people, isolated elderly people, women and children often face difficulties that can lead to further social exclusion, such as low levels of education and unemployment or underemployment.

Wages

Remuneration or earnings, expressed in terms of money and fixed by mutual agreement or by national laws or regulations. Wages are payable by an employer to a worker/employee for work done or to be done or for services rendered or to be rendered.

Waste

Any unwanted or undesired material or substance. It is also referred to as rubbish, trash, garbage, or junk depending upon the type of material and the regional terminology. Most waste is comprised of paper, plastic, metals, glass, food waste, organic material, feces and wood. Includes hazardous materials. It covers domestic or industrial waste, rejected products, construction debris or rubble, soil and stones from excavations, rubbish and soil from cleaning or preparing land.

Wastewater

Any water that has been affected adversely in quality by human use for domestic, industrial, commercial or agricultural purposes.

Wastewater parameters

The Rainforest Alliance parameters for wastewater discharge into aquatic ecosystems are:

The Rainforest Alliance wastewater parameters for irrigation are:

Wastewater from processing operations

Water that has been adversely affected in quality by processing operations such as mills (e.g., coffee wet mills, palm oil mills, sugar cane mills), washing operations or packing or processing plants (such as juice or puree factories).

Wildlife

All terrestrial vertebrate species except those that are primarily kept by humans as livestock or pets.

Wildlife pest

Any vertebrate species from natural ecosystems that causes damage to crops, plants, or plant products. These pests can lead to reduced yields, affect product quality, and disrupt agricultural systems, necessitating management strategies that balance control with conservation.^[116]

Windbreaks

Rows of trees or shrubs planted to reduce wind speed and protect crops, soil, or farm infrastructure.^[117]

Witness audit

An assessment where a Certification Body auditor observes and evaluates the performance of internal inspector(s) during an internal inspection. The purpose of a witness audit is to ensure that the auditing process is conducted competently, impartially, and in accordance with established standards. ^[118]

Worker

A person who performs labor in return for a monetary amount. A worker encompasses all types of persons working irrespective of their contractual status, such as permanent, temporary, seasonal, migrant, piece rate workers, documented, undocumented, as well as hired through a labor provider, persons in training, group management staff, including interns and apprentices, and also persons temporarily absent from a job or enterprise at which they recently worked for illness, parental leave, holiday, training, or industrial dispute.^[119]

Worker organization

Any voluntary, independent organization of workers for furthering and defending their rights and interests.^[120]

Worker representative

Persons who are recognized as such under national law or company practice, whether they are:

• Trade union representatives, namely representatives designated or elected by trade unions or by the members of such unions.

• Elected representatives, namely representatives who are freely elected by the workers of the undertaking in accordance with provisions of national laws or regulations or of collective agreements and whose functions do not include activities which are recognized as the exclusive prerogative of trade unions in the country concerned.^[121]

• A person in a management role cannot serve as a worker representative.

Workplace Violence and Harassment

Refers to a range of unacceptable behaviors and practices, or threats thereof, whether a single occurrence or repeated, that aim at, result in, or are likely to result in physical, psychological, sexual or economic harm, and includes Gender-Based Violence and Harassment.^[122]

Young worker

A child above the minimum age of employment (15 years) but under the age of 18, performing non-hazardous and age-appropriate work. See child work.