Policy: Third-Party Verification Requirements for Certificate Holders with Level A Sites (v1.1)

This binding document is currently valid, since October 29^th, 2026. It will remain valid until further notice.

What is this document about?

This policy introduces new assurance requirements for Certificate Holders (CHs) who have received verification Level A for one or more of the sites in their certification scope. Under this policy, CHs with Level A sites will transition from being issued Endorsement Letters by the Rainforest Alliance to undergoing remote audits conducted by third-party Certification Bodies (CBs). These CHs will be required to complete a remote audit by 31 December 2027 to maintain Rainforest Alliance certification.

In addition to supporting independent third-party verification, remote audits ensure robust assurance around certified volumes and claims. Remote audits corroborate online traceability reporting via volume summaries and related documentation.

NOTE: This policy does not fully override the Certification Rules and Auditing Rules for Supply Chain or the Rules for CBs. Instead, this policy highlights certain requirements and rules for an updated interpretation for both CHs and CBs. If a requirement is not explicitly mentioned here, CHs and CBs are expected to follow the current version of the rules.

When and how to use this document?

This policy shall be implemented by CHs with Level A sites in their scope, CBs, and Rainforest Alliance personnel during the transition from Endorsement Letters to remote audits resulting in CB issued certificates.

Overview of Changes in this Version

1. Transition from Endorsement to Remote Audits

1.1 Replacement of Endorsements

Certificate Holders who have received or will receive verification Level A for one or more of their sites through the Supply Chain Risk Assessment (SCRA) shall receive a remote audit through an authorized Certification Body once every three years. This change does not impact which CHs receive Level A, the scope of certification, or the applicable standard requirements.

NOTE: This policy also applies to CB audited CHs who have at least one Level A site in their certification scope.

1.2 Timeline for Implementation

Endorsement Letters for CHs in good standing, (certification scope form has been submitted annually), will be set to expire on 31 December 2027. To maintain certification beyond this date, Level A CHs shall successfully complete a remote audit with an authorized CB in accordance with this policy.

For New Level A CHs with a self-assessment submitted by 30 October 2026:

• Rainforest Alliance will review by 30 November 2026

• If the self-assessment is deemed insufficient, an updated self-assessment must be re-submitted by 31 December 2026 (if not submitted by this date, they will need to complete remote audit)

• Rainforest Alliance will grant all Endorsement Letters by 31 January 2027 with end date of 31 December 2027

For New Level A CHs that did not submit a self-assessment by 30 October 2026:

• The new remote auditing requirements apply and the remote audit must take place within 3 months of their first certified purchase.

2. Audit Process (Remote Audit)

A remote audit is a full scope certification audit conducted by an independent, third-party, authorized Certification Body not physically at the site(s) being audited.

An authorized CB shall only conduct audit and certification activities in countries for which it has approved scopes. If the CB is authorized to audit in a country in which the CH is located, but does not have auditors physically in that country, that is allowed under this policy and is in accordance with the Rules for Certification Bodies. For the purposes of this policy, approval to conduct Level A remote audits does not depend on the availability of local auditors or their familiarity with local context and cultural practices, as outlined in part of section 1.2.15, b. of the Rules for Certification Bodies. Geographic scope approval by Rainforest Alliance is still necessary to conduct audits in a specific country.

NOTE: Since Level A sites are now included in the portfolio of the CB, they can be included in the 5% calculation for surprise audits. As outlined in the CARs, these surprise audits shall be conducted on-site for all CHs.

2.1 Audit Frequency and Duration

Certificate Holders with only Level A site(s) in scope shall undergo a remote audit once every three years, with the first being completed by 31 December 2027.

Certificate Holders with Level A sites within a multi-site that also includes level B and/or C sites will now need to have the Level A sites sampled in accordance with the Certification and Auditing Rules for Supply Chain and may require a remote audit conducted by 31 December 2027.

The audit shall be conducted remotely by an authorized CB and have a maximum audit duration of 0.5 days and 0.75 days if social requirements (Chapter 4) are in scope.

2.2 Audit Scope

The remote audit shall assess compliance with all applicable Supply Chain Standard requirements. Certificate Holders with only Level A sites are no longer required to complete their self-assessment annually. However, in accordance with the Certification and Auditing Rules for Supply Chain (2.1.4), these actors still need to complete their supply chain risk assessment (SCRA) and certification scope form annually.

Multi-site Sampling:

All Level A Sites:

Level A sites should be sampled for the remote audit as outlined in the Certification and Auditing Rules for Supply Chain.

Level A, B and/or C Sites:

If the Level A sites account for more than 25% of the total sites, then those Level A sites follow the sampling rules as outlined in the Certification and Auditing Rules for Supply Chain and a remote audit is required for compliance of those sites.

If the Level A sites account for 25% or less of the total sites, then no remote audit is required. At the time of the next audit due date, the Level A sites are to be included in determining the audit sample calculation and selection as outlined in the Certification and Auditing Rules for Supply Chain.

In both scenarios, the CH should follow the sampling rules as outlined in the Certification and Auditing Rules for Levels A, B and C sites within their scope for the next regularly scheduled audit.

2.3 Scope Extensions

If a currently Endorsed CH needs to make a scope extension and this is requested on or before 30 October 2026, then no extension audit is required and the amendment will be made to the Endorsement Letter by Rainforest Alliance.

If the scope extension is requested after 30 October 2026, the Endorsed CH should follow the extension table requirements (Table CR7: Rules per type of Extension) in the CARs to determine if an audit is required. If an audit is required, the CH shall complete a full scope remote audit to complete scope extension and will be issued a CB certificate.

Other information

Date of first publication of this document (v 1.0): September 28^th, 2026

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.