The Rain Forest Alliance
When it comes to coffee, most people do not realize what goes into growing, harvesting and processing coffee beans. There are several moving parts just to get to the green beans that are then bagged, shipped and roasted to what we consume. A majority of the work is done by hand and that includes sorting the beans after they are processed for size and defects. To help prevent poverty for workers and farmers things like Fair Trade Certification and the Rainforest Alliance have been established. Fair Trade standards are designed towards preventing poverty and to help empower producers in the world’s poorest countries, giving them a guaranteed price for their coffee. Rainforest Alliance certification focuses on how farms are managed, with certification being awarded to farms that meet the comprehensive standards of the Sustainable Agriculture Standard, which encompasses all three pillars of sustainability—social, economic, and environmental. The Sockeye Sumatra that we use for helping the Save Bristol Bay Campaign is Rainforest Alliance Certified, Fair Trade Certified & Organic coffee from Indonesia.
To earn Rainforest Alliance certification, farms must meet rigorous sustainability standards designed to:
- conserve natural resources and protect biodiversity, waterways and soil health
- eliminate toxic and dangerous agrochemicals, reduce the use of chemical substances and eliminate GMOs
- protect worker rights and ensure safe working conditions
- prevent labor by children under 15 & strictly limit work by teens aged 15-17
- ensure workers receive at least minimum wage or higher with the goal of providing a living wage
- improve efficiency and reduce costs, which often result in higher earnings
- build climate resilience through climate-smart agriculture methods
- prevent deforestation, promote reforestation and protect native plant species
- protect wildlife and endangered species