This policy has been in effect from the 1st of January, 2026. To find the previous expired version 1.2 of the policy, click here.
Title: | Rainforest Alliance Policy: Online Traceability Exception for Tea Certificate Holders |
Code: | A-32-SRCL-B-CH |
Version: | 1.3 |
Applies to: | Farm and Supply Chain Certificate Holders in Tea |
Enforceability: | Binding content |
Effective by: | January 1st, 2026 |
Expires by: | Until further notice |
Published on: | February 19th, 2026 |
Linked to | A-1-S-B-F-v1.4 Sustainable Agriculture Standard Farm Requirements A-02-S-B-SC-v1.4 Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard - Supply Chain Requirements A-35-SRCL-B-SC-v1.5 Rainforest Alliance Supply Chain Requirements |
Replaces: |
What is this document about?
This policy exception has been developed to support the traceability reporting process for tea certificate holders.
When and how to use this document?
Tea certificate holders shall use this document to demonstrate their exemption from reporting requirements for online traceability. CBs shall use this document to understand the evidence needed to support conformity to the traceability requirements outlined below for audits against v1.4 of the Sustainable Agriculture Standard.
Changes in update from v1.2 to v1.3
Section | What has changed |
Introduction | Applicability update – this exception does apply for Kenyan volumes bought by first buyer prior to January 1, 2026. |
Reporting Requirements Section 1.1 | First processors, blenders and packers are required to perform online traceability for volumes from January 1, 2026, once the volumes are in their account. |
Reporting Requirements Section 1.1 | Timeline extension: extension for first blenders/processors to report volumes. |
Online Traceability Exception
The Rainforest Alliance Traceability Platform should be maintained for all volumes. For the certificate holders in scope of this exception, it allows for the first input of Rainforest Alliance certified volumes to be submitted to RA via excel on a quarterly basis and Rainforest Alliance will enter the volumes into the Rainforest Alliance Traceability Platform on the CH’s behalf. All other transactions, activities, and conversions must be in the system but entered directly by the entity responsible.
Details on the scope of the exception and applicable Certificate Holders are below.
Additionally, this exception is no longer applicable for volumes sold by Kenyan Tea Farm Certificate Holders as of January 1, 2026, and later. Companies sourcing both Kenyan tea and tea from other origins must comply with this exception by continuing to report volumes from non-Kenyan origins and Kenyan origins prior to January 1, 2026. Kenyan tea volumes reported for sales as of January 1, 2026, must be reported by CHs through the Rainforest Alliance Traceability Platform and no actions will be taken by Rainforest Alliance on behalf of these CHs.
*Note this policy does not apply to Herbs and Spices as defined in Rainforest Alliance Appendix B.
1. Outline of Exception
For volumes prior to January 1, 2026, farm and supply chain certificate holders are exempt from reporting traceability in the Rainforest Alliance Traceability Platform. For volumes as of January 1, 2026, certificate holders between the Farm CH and the first blenders and processors are exempt from reporting traceability in the Rainforest Alliance online platform. Kenyan tea volumes sold as of January 1, 2026, are not in scope of this exception and must be reported in the Rainforest Alliance Traceability Platform by the CH responsible. Only those requirements listed below fall into this exception, requirements for paper-based traceability, segregation, etc. will still be required for these actors.
The above farm and supply chain certificate holders are exempted from the following Requirements
2.2.1 – Farm & SC | Any activity related to the certified volume (such as redeeming, removing, selling, purchasing, confirming, etc.) must be recorded in the Rainforest Alliance traceability platform within two weeks after the end of the quarter in which the activity took place. |
2.2.2 - Farm | Buyers of Rainforest Alliance Certified products regularly verify that transactions in the traceability platform match invoices for certified products. |
1.1 Reporting Requirements for the First Processors
The first blenders and processors are required to provide data via the volume declaration form for all certified volume that is in scope of this exception per the outline above. This volume declaration shall be submitted on a quarterly basis.
1.1.1 MultiTrace Authorization Request Form for Tea.
1.1.2 The first processor shall provide the information required to Rainforest Alliance so that the volume can be allocated correctly on their behalf. The processor must use the request form above provided by Rainforest Alliance.
1.1.3 Tea supply chain certificate holders are required to provide any additional clarification needed once Rainforest Alliance has reviewed the data provided.
1.1.4 Once the volumes are in the first blenders/processors account, the CH is responsible for performing the activities in the Rainforest Alliance Traceability Platform such as confirming, blending, redeeming and selling forward to packers (if applicable).
1.1.5 Timeline extension: The first processor is granted an extension of 6 weeks from the end of the quarter to report their volumes to Rainforest Alliance and 12 weeks from the end of the quarter to perform the online traceability activities.
*First blenders/processors are defined as the organization that mixes or processes different packages of Made Tea (or Made Tea equivalent weight in the case of instant tea), breaking up the original garden invoice/chop number into a blend or alternative product.
1.2 Auditing Requirements for Offline Traceability
Certificate Holders will continue to be responsible for providing auditors with evidence that traceability is maintained throughout the process of purchase, receipt, processing, packing, shipping and selling. This includes:
1.2.1 Identification of Rainforest Alliance Certified on physical product.
1.2.2 Identification of Rainforest Alliance Certified products in purchase and sales documentation.
1.2.3 Maintenance of volume summary.
Auditors will verify that first processors and packers have sent the completed excel template to Rainforest Alliance on a quarterly basis but will not review the document for accuracy. If the template is not available, then the auditor/CB shall issue a nonconformity to requirement 2.2.1.
Other information
Date of first publication of this document (v 1.0): May 28th 2024.
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.
Translation Disclaimer
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.
Reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of this content is strictly forbidden without prior written consent from Rainforest Alliance.
More information?
For help in obtaining a Rainforest Alliance certificate reach out to our Customer Success team at customersuccess@ra.org
For more information about Rainforest Alliance, visit http://www.rainforest-alliance.org contact info@ra.org or the Rainforest Alliance Amsterdam Office, De Ruijterkade 6, 1013AA Amsterdam, The Netherlands.