TABLE OF CONTENTSFARM STANDARD REQUIREMENTS, VERSION 1.2 TO VERSION 1.3
SUPPLY CHAIN STANDARD REQUIREMENTS, VERSION 1.2 TO VERSION 1.3
SA-GL-SD-1 ANNEX S01 GLOSSARY, VERSION 1.2 TO VERSION 1.3
SA-S-SD-20 ANNEX CHAPTER 2: TRACEABILITY, VERSION 1.0 TO VERSION 1.1
SA-S-SD-21 ANNEX CHAPTER 3: INCOME AND SHARED RESPONSIBILITY, VERSION 1.0 TO VERSION 1.1
SA-S-SD-23 ANNEX CHAPTER 5: SOCIAL, VERSION 1.0 TO VERSION 1.1
SA-S-SD-24 ANNEX CHAPTER 6: ENVIRONMENT, VERSION 1.0 TO VERSION 1.1

FARM STANDARD REQUIREMENTS, VERSION 1.2 TO VERSION 1.3
REQUIREMENTNUMBER
p. 9 to p. 20

SUBJECT

WHAT CHANGED?

Introduction

Some graphics have been adjusted and language restructured fora better explanation of Rainforest Alliance Certification.
Adapted: Scope, to be more manageable and more realistic.
Adapted: Definition of Small/Large farms, adapted to more
realistically cover the farm scenarios and protect workers:
Farms with 10 or more permanent workers are Large Farms.
Introduced: A subset of requirements apply to Small Farms that hire:- 10 temporary workers each working for 3 consecutive months or
more, and/or- 50 or more temporary workers per calendar year
Requirements that will apply in this case: 5.2.1, 5.2.2, 5.2.3, 5.2.4,
5.3.1, 5.3.6, 5.3.12, 5.5.2, 5.5.3, 5.6.2, 5.6.4
Removed: Subset is not used anymore.

p. 14
p. 14

Scope
Small/Large Farm

p. 14

Subset ofrequirements for Small
Farms

General

Average of ≥ 5 hired
workers (Applicablefor Small Farms only)
Management
Management

1.1.1
New
requirement
1.1.5

1.2.2

Administration

1.2.3

Administration

1.2.5

Administration

1.2.6

Administration

1.2.8

Administration

Simplified text.
Rearranged in new requirement to simplify the standard: The
general responsibilities of the committees and their composition,
part of requirements 1.5.1 (Grievance), 1.6.1 (Gender) and 5.1.1(Assess and address) are now combined into 1.1.5.
It is clarified that more issues can be covered by one committee.
Specific tasks are kept in the respective requirements.
Merged: Requirements 1.2.2 and 1.2.3, as the approaches forservice providers and subcontractors were similar.
Merged: Requirements 1.2.2 and 1.2.3, as the approaches forservice providers and subcontractors were similar.
Simplified: Removed requirement for any small farm to haveextensive version of worker records.
Simplified: Requirement on registration of temporary workers forsmall farms.
Clarified: Text on agreement on sharing the data of groupmembers.

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REQUIREMENTNUMBER
1.3.1
1.4.1
1.4.2
1.4.4

1.5.1

SUBJECT

WHAT CHANGED?

Risk Assessment andManagement Plan
Internal Inspectionand Self-Assessment
Internal Inspectionand Self-Assessment
Internal Inspectionand Self-Assessment

Adapted: Option to align the risk assessment frequency with the
management plan frequency.
Simplified and shortened text.

1.6.1

Grievance
Mechanism
Gender Equality

2.1.3

Traceability

2.1.8
2.2.3

Traceability
Traceability in theOnline Platform

2.2.4

2.3.1
2.3.2

Traceability in theOnline Platform
Traceability in theOnline Platform
Traceability in theOnline Platform
Mass Balance
Mass Balance

2.3.3

Mass Balance

2.3.4

Mass Balance

2.3.5
3.1.1
Self-selected
3.2.2
4.1.2

Mass Balance
Production Costs andLiving Income
Sustainability
Differential
Planting and Rotation

4.1.3 L1

Planting and Rotation

4.2.2
Smart Meter

Pruning andRenovation of Tree
Crops
Soil Fertility andConservation

2.2.5
2.2.6

4.4.1

4.4.3
4.4.7
Smart Meter
4.5.2

New
requirement
4.5.8 L2
5.1.1

Soil Fertility andConservation
Soil Fertility andConservation
Integrated Pest
Management (IPM)
Integrated Pest
Management (IPM)
Assess-and-Address

Simplified and shortened text.
Removed: Minimum ratio of 1 internal inspector per 250 farms, as
the purpose of the requirement is to have appropriate support for
the farmers and this may be reached in other ways as well.
Simplified: General responsibilities of the committees and theircomposition are now combined in the new requirement 1.1.5.
Simplified: General responsibilities of the committees and theircomposition are now combined in the new requirement 1.1.5.
Clarification: Visual separation of certified product is not required
for mass balance products.
Text now clarifies that sales receipts do not have to be physical.
Clarification: Removal of volumes from the traceability platformthat are not sold as certified, or lost, and clarified applicability formass balance products.
Text rephrased for clarification.
Text rephrased for clarification, with more details on examples tolink transaction to multiple shipments.
Text rephrased for clarification.
Text rephrased for clarification.
Text rephrased for clarification. A negative volume balance is not
permitted at any time.
Clarification added: The requirement on origin matching is only
applicable to cocoa mass balance products for which origin
matching is required.
Clarification added: The requirement on origin information onpurchase and sales documentation is only applicable to cocoa
mass balance products for which origin matching is required.
Text rephrased for clarification.
Added new indicator: net income from certified crop per kg of
harvested product.
Correction: Added ‘housing’ to the categories for the Sustainability
Differential in the indicator.
Applicability added to Group Management, for cropping system of
new plantings.
Applicability added to Group Management, for implementing
measures to prevent pests and diseases and break their biologicalcycles.
Applicability added to Group Management, for pruning according
to the pruning cycle, and measuring the indicator on this.
Clarification and simplification: Content of 4.4.3 on soil tests andleaf tests included in 4.4.1 on soil assessment. Text rephrased forclarification and content from requirement 4.4.3 moved here.
Requirement removed. Clarification and simplification: Content of
4.4.3 on soil tests and leaf tests included in 4.4.1 on soil assessment.
Added: Indicator % Of group members that use organic fertilizers.
Adapted: Monitoring of natural enemies is moved to a newrequirement Level 2 requirement 4.5.8, to allow more time for
implementation.
Adapted: Monitoring of natural enemies is moved to a newrequirement Level 2 requirement 4.5.8, to allow more time for
implementation.
Moved: General responsibilities of the committees and theircomposition are now combined into new requirement 1.1.5.

2

REQUIREMENTNUMBER
5.2.1

SUBJECT

WHAT CHANGED?

Freedom of
Association andCollective Bargaining

Adapted applicability: Requirement on rights on joining unions now
also applicable to small farms that hire workers beyond a certain
threshold, as described in the new Subset of requirements for Small
Farms (see p. 14).
Adapted applicability: Requirement including no-discrimination orretaliation now also applicable to small farms that hire workers
beyond a certain threshold, as described in the new Subset of
requirements for Small Farms (see p. 14).
Adapted applicability: Requirement including facilitation ofworker’s representatives for unions now also applicable to small
farms that hire workers beyond a certain threshold, as described in
the new Subset of requirements for Small Farms (see p. 14).
Adapted applicability: Informing workers on freedom of associationand collective bargaining now also applicable to small farms thathire workers beyond a certain threshold, as described in the new
Subset of requirements for Small Farms (see p. 14).
Adapted applicability: Requirement on written and verbal
contracts now also applicable to small farms that hire workers
beyond a certain threshold, as described in the new Subset of
requirements for Small Farms (see p. 14).
Rephrased for clarification, and applicability extended to all small
farms.
Merged: Requirements 5.3.3 and 5.3.4 on receiving at least
minimum wage for small and large farms, now all in 5.3.3.
Merged: Requirements 5.3.3 and 5.3.4 on receiving at least
minimum wage for small and large farms, now all in 5.3.3.
Merged: Requirements 5.3.6and 5.3.7 on payment schedules, now
all in 5.3.6.
Applicable also to small farms that hire workers beyond a certain
threshold, as described in the new Subset of requirements for Small
Farms (see p. 14).
Rephrased to allow electronic proof of payment.
Merged: Requirements 5.3.6 and 5.3.7 on payment schedules, now
all in 5.3.6.
Applicable also to small farms that hire workers beyond a certain
threshold, as described in the new Subset of requirements for Small
Farms (see p. 14).
Rephrased to allow electronic proof of payment.
Merged: Requirements 5.3.9 and 5.3.10 on labor providers for small
and large farms, now all in 5.3.10. Applicability extended to all
Certificate Holders.
Merged: Requirements 5.3.9 and 5.3.10 on labor providers for small
and large farms, now all in 5.3.10. Applicability extended to all
Certificate Holders.
Adapted applicability: now to small farms that hire workers beyonda certain threshold, as described in the new Subset of requirements
for Small Farms (see p. 14).
Adapted applicability correcting wages for inflation now extended
to Small farms and Group Management.
Adapted: Part related to the consultation with workers’
representatives on wage improvement plan moved to new
requirement 5.4.5 (self-selected).
Adapted: Consultation with workers’ representatives on wage
improvement plan, previously part of requirement 5.4.2, is now a
new self-selected requirement.

5.2.2

Freedom of
Association andCollective Bargaining

5.2.3

Freedom of
Association andCollective Bargaining

5.2.4 L1

Freedom of
Association andCollective Bargaining

5.3.1

Wages and Contracts

5.3.2

Wages and Contracts

5.3.3

Wages and Contracts

5.3.4

Wages and Contracts

5.3.6

Wages and Contracts

5.3.7

Wages and Contracts

5.3.9

Wages and Contracts

5.3.10Wages and Contracts

5.3.12 L1Wages and Contracts

5.3.13Self-selected
5.4.2

Wages and Contracts

New
requirement
5.4.5
Self-selected
5.5.1

Living Wage

5.5.2

Working Conditions

Living Wage

Working Conditions

Adapted: Regular work hours of guards are set to 60 hours per
week.
Adapted: Exception to overtime extended to all crops undercertain conditions (see point h).
Applicable also to small farms that hire workers beyond a certain
threshold, as described in the new Subset of requirements for Small
Farms (see p. 14).

3

REQUIREMENTNUMBER
5.5.3

SUBJECT

WHAT CHANGED?

Working Conditions

Simplified:: Details for nursing spaces moved to guidance.
Changed ‘maternity leave’ into ‘parental leave’ to include bothparents.
Applicable also to small farms that hire workers beyond a certain
threshold, as described in the new Subset of requirements for Small
Farms (see p. 14).
Clarified: Text on required expertise for the analysis of the healthand safety risks.
Adapted applicability: requirement on First Aid boxes now
applicable also to small farms that hire workers beyond a certain
threshold, as described in the new Subset of requirements for Small
Farms (see p. 14).
Simplified text, added line on drinking water testing.
Adapted applicability, now also for small farms that hire workers
beyond a certain threshold, as described in the new Subset of
requirements for Small Farms (see p. 14).
Rephrased for clarification: ‘public’ taken out for safe drinking
water.
Adapted: Some parts related to housing core requirements are
now moved to requirement 5.7.4 L1.
Adapted: Some parts related to housing core requirements 5.7.1
are moved to 5.7.4 L1.
Simplified text.

5.6.1

Health and Safety

5.6.2

Health and Safety

5.6.4

Health and Safety

5.6.5

Health and Safety

5.7.1

Housing and Living
Conditions
Housing and Living
Conditions
Housing and Living
Conditions
Communities

5.7.4 L1
5.7.6
5.8.2
6.5.1

Water Management
and Conservation

Clarified text. Producer needs legal or legitimate rights, notnecessarily both.
Merged: requirements 6.5.1 and 6.5.2 on water permits.
Adapted applicability: applicability for Small Farms removed.

6.5.2

Water Management
and Conservation

Merged: requirements 6.5.1 and 6.5.2 on water permits.
Adapted applicability: applicability for Small Farms removed.

6.8.1

Energy Efficiency

Adapted: Removed content on taking measures for energy
reduction from the beginning of certification, as this is implied in thesmart meter in 6.8.2, and to allow for more time for implementation.

4

SUPPLY CHAIN STANDARD REQUIREMENTS, VERSION 1.2 TO VERSION 1.3
REQUIREMENTNUMBERNew
requirement
1.1.5

SUBJECT

WHAT CHANGED?

Management

Rearranged in new requirement to simplify the standard: The
general responsibilities of the committees and their composition,
part of requirements 1.5.1 (Grievance), 1.6.1 (Gender) and 5.1.1(Assess and address) are now combined into 1.1.5.
It is clarified that more issues can be covered by one committee.
Specific tasks are kept in the respective requirements.
Merged: Requirements 1.2.2 and 1.2.3, as the approaches forservice providers and subcontractors were similar.
Simplified and shortened text.

1.2.2

Administration

1.4.1

1.5.1

Internal Inspectionand Self-Assessment
Internal Inspectionand Self-Assessment
Grievance Mechanism

1.6.1

Gender Equality

2.1.3

Traceability

2.1.12

Traceability in Online
Platform
Traceability in Online
Platform

1.4.2

2.2.3

2.2.4

2.3.1
2.3.2

Traceability in Online
Platform
Traceability in Online
Platform
Traceability in Online
Platform
Mass Balance
Mass Balance

2.3.3

Mass Balance

2.3.4

Mass Balance

2.3.5
5.1.1

Mass Balance
Assess-and-Address

5.3.2
5.3.3

Wages and Contracts
Wages and Contracts

5.3.6

Wages and Contracts

5.3.9

Wages and Contracts

5.3.10Wages and Contracts

5.5.1

Working Conditions

5.5.2

Working Conditions

5.5.3

Working Conditions

5.6.1

Health and Safety

5.6.4

Health and Safety

2.2.5
2.2.6

Simplified and shortened text.
Simplified: General responsibilities of the committees and theircomposition are now combined in the new requirement 1.1.5.
Simplified: General responsibilities of the committees and theircomposition are now combined in the new requirement 1.1.5.
Clarification: Visual separation of certified product is not required
for mass balance products.
Clarification: Applicability of the requirements for traceability
documentation.
Clarification: Removal of volumes from the traceability platformthat are not sold as certified, or lost. and clarified applicability formass balance products.
Text rephrased for clarification.
Text rephrased for clarification, with more details on examples tolink transaction to multiple shipments.
Text rephrased for clarification.
Text rephrased for clarification.
Added for clarification: A negative volume balance is not
permitted at any time.
Clarification added: The requirement on origin matching is only
applicable to cocoa mass balance products for which origin
matching is required.
Clarification added: The requirement on origin information onpurchase and sales documentation is only applicable to cocoa
mass balance products for which origin matching is required.
Text rephrased for clarification.
All general responsibilities of the committees and their composition
are now combined into new requirement 1.1.5.
Rephrased for clarification.
Merged: Requirements 5.3.3 and 5.3.4 on receiving at least
minimum wage, now all in 5.3.3.
Merged: Requirements 5.3.6 and 5.3.7 on payment schedules, now
all in 5.3.6.Rephrased to allow electronic proof of payment.
Merged: Requirements 5.3.9 and 5.3.10 on labor providers, now all
in 5.3.10.
Merged: Requirements 5.3.9 and 5.3.10 on labor providers, now all
in 5.3.10.
Applicability extended to all Certificate Holders.
Adapted: Regular work hours of guards are set to 60 hours per
week.
Adapted: Exception to overtime extended to all crops undercertain conditions (see point h).
Simplified: Details for nursing spaces moved to guidance.
Changed ‘maternity leave’ into ‘parental leave’ to include bothparents.
Clarified: Text on required expertise for the analysis of the healthand safety risks.
Simplified text, added line on drinking water testing.

5

SA-GL-SD-1 ANNEX S01 GLOSSARY, VERSION 1.2 TO VERSION 1.3
TERM
Average of ≥ 5 hired
workers (Applicablefor Small Farms only)
CreditLarge Farm
Regular working hours

Small Farm
WorkerRepresentative

WHAT CHANGED?
Removed, subset is not used anymore

Removed, term is not used anymore
Adapted definition: All farms with 10 or more permanent workers are Large farms
Corrected, now reading: Regular working hours are the number of hours that are
worked according to the contract of the worker, during the day, week, monthand/or year, excluding overtime.
Overtime work means hours worked in excess of regular working hours.
Adapted definition: All farms with fewer than 10 permanent workers are Small farms
Addition to the definition: A person in a management role cannot serve as a worker
representative

SA-S-SD-20 ANNEX CHAPTER 2: TRACEABILITY, VERSION 1.0 TO VERSION 1.1
SECTION

SUBJECT

WHAT CHANGED?

1

Scope for traceability

Text simplified

1

Level of traceability
reporting
Applicability ofStandard requirements
Mass Balance

Clarification added on traceability for subcontractors

1
1
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
4

2.1.12 Sales
documentation
2.1.9 Converting
certified product2.1.9 Conversion rates
2.2.1 Managing
outgoing transactions
2.2.1 Managing
incoming transactions
2.2.3 Removing
certified volumes
2.2.1 & 2.2.3 When toreport2.2.5 Aggregatingtransactions
2.3.1 Volume
conversion
2.3.3 & 2.3.4 Origin
matching

Clarification added on traceability for retailers
Text simplified, and extension of mass balance scope to other crops
has been added
Text on requirement 2.1.12 has been removed, as requirement has
been clarified in the Standard
Clarification added on converting and redeeming certified
products
Table simplified
Text simplified, clarification added on traceability for retailers
Clarification added on trusted trade partner functionality in the
traceability platform
Clarification added on mass balance volumes
Clarification added on scenario where a CH's supplier hasn't
declared their sales to them in the traceability platform
Newly added section clarifying the requirement
Text simplified
Text simplified, general clarifications added, requirements for phase2 added6

SA-S-SD-21 ANNEX CHAPTER 3: INCOME AND SHARED RESPONSIBILITY,
VERSION 1.0 TO VERSION 1.1
SECTION
2.1

2.3

2.3

SUBJECT
Production
costs andlivingincomeTimeline

WHAT CHANGED?
Paragraph added on living income assessments and benchmarks (self-selected)

SD/SI
payment intea

Brand owner approach further clarified in the context of retail brands:

Tea: Implementation date clarified to July 1, 2023, onwards on volumes sold andredeemed as Rainforest Alliance Certified from July 1, 2023.

The packer (private label manufacturer) is required to commit, confirm, and pay
SD/SI and enter commitments and payment in the RA traceability system.
Food service and Retail brands are required to include SD SI in contractual
arrangements with their private label manufacturers (packers) and compensate
them for the SD/SI payments made on their behalf.

2.3

Update for
Bananaand Fresh
Fruit

Removal of language that required exporters to include specific payment terms intheir contracts with farm CHs supplying the Rainforest Alliance Certified product.

Requirement
3.2.7

Cocoa
minimumSD

Updated to Euros (instead of US Dollars) to reflect companies buying from Farm
Certificate Holders in African countries using XOF or XAF

SA-S-SD-23 ANNEX CHAPTER 5: SOCIAL, VERSION 1.0 TO VERSION 1.1
PAGE
p. 4

SUBJECT
Setting up a
Remediation
Systemp. 7

Child Laborand Forced
Labor Risk
maps
Living Wage

p. 8

WHAT CHANGED?
Added reference to requirement 1.1.5 now detailing all general responsibilitiesof the committees and their composition, part of requirements 1.5.1(Grievance), 1.6.1 (Gender) and 5.1.1 (Assess and address). Specific tasks aresolely kept in the respective requirements
Added the URLs to the risk maps for child labor and forced labor

Removal of requirement 5.3.4 as it was merged with 5.3.3

SA-S-SD-24 ANNEX CHAPTER 6: ENVIRONMENT, VERSION 1.0 TO VERSION 1.1
SECTION
1
3

SUBJECT
Identification ofConversion
Planned Minor
Conversion for
Infrastructure

WHAT CHANGED?
Text corrected and clarified
Added: Clause 3.iv
Prior to converting, farm or group management must obtain approval
from the Rainforest Alliance. To receive approval, management submits aplan to farmcert@ra.org including the reasons, plan and polygons of thearea to be converted.

7