2024-11-14T14:04:54-06:00 2023-12-31 WithumSmithBrown PC ONE TOWER CENTER BLVD 14TH FL EAST BRUNSWICK NJ 08816 990 2023-01-01 824110897 RAINFOREST ALLIANCE HOLDING INC % ADAM COX CFO RAIN 2126771900 298 FIFTH AVENUE 7TH FLOOR NEW YORK NY 10001 ADAM COX CFO 2126771900 2024-11-13 true true RICHARD L RUVELSON P00234075 7328281614 2023 2024-10-15 13:58:12Z X ADAM COX 298 FIFTH AVENUE 7TH FLOOR NEW YORK NY 10001 0 false X www.rainforest-alliance.org X 2018 DE RA works at the intersection of business, agriculture & forests to improve lives & protect nature by transforming how land is used, production of goods & consumer choices. 20 20 0 21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X SEE SCHEDULE O false false 0 0 0 Landscapes and Communities (See Schedule O) 0 0 0 Markets Transformation (See Schedule O) 0 true false false true false false false false false false false false false false false true false true false false false false false false false false false false false true false false false false false false false false false false false false false true true false false false true 0 0 0 false false false false false false false false false false false false X 20 20 false false false false false false false true true false false true true true true true true true true false X X ADAM COX CFO 2126771900 298 FIFTH AVENUE 7TH FLOOR NEW YORK NY 10001 Santiago Gowland CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 1.0 40.0 X 0 435830 73056 ADAM COX CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 1.0 40.0 X 0 223535 13933 Molly Stark GENERAL COUNSEL & Secretary 1.0 40.0 X 0 225320 12133 Daniel Roger Katz DIRECTOR, BOARD CHAIR 1.0 1.0 X X 0 0 0 Antonius van der Laan DIRECTOR, VICE CHAIR 1.0 1.0 X X 0 0 0 Peter Martin Schulte DIRECTOR, TREASURER 1.0 1.0 X X 0 0 0 Labeeb Makram Abboud DIRECTOR (THRU 2/11/2023) 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 Tasso Rezende de Azevedo DIRECTOR 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 Vanusia M Carneiro Nogueira DIRECTOR 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 Sonila Alice Cook DIRECTOR 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 Wendy Gordon Rockefeller DIRECTOR 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 Nina Haase DIRECTOR 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 Marilu Hernandez de Bosoms DIRECTOR 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 Daniel Louis Houser DIRECTOR 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 Peter Hans Lehner DIRECTOR 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 Nalin Kumar Miglani DIRECTOR 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 Juan Esteban Orduz Trujillo DIRECTOR 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 Anurag Priyadarshi DIRECTOR 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 Eric B Rothenberg DIRECTOR 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 Anisha Pushpika Rajapakse DIRECTOR 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 Paul Rubacha DIRECTOR 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 KERRI ANNE SMITH DIRECTOR 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 Sarah Jane DANCHIE Director 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 0 884685 99122 0 false true false 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X false true X true false X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00000 0.00000 X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X Schedule D Part X, Line 2 The Organization has evaluated uncertain tax positions and concluded there are no such positions at December 31, 2023 and 2022. The Organization has operations in other countries and is subject to the laws and regulations of those countries. The Organization did not recognize any tax related interest or penalties during the periods in question. false false false false false false false false false Santiago Gowland CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 0 435830 0 0 0 0 0 46906 0 26150 0 508886 0 0 Molly Stark GENERAL COUNSEL & Secretary 0 223942 0 250 0 1128 0 10344 0 1789 0 237453 0 0 ADAM COX CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 0 223515 0 0 0 20 0 0 0 13933 0 237468 0 0 Form 990, Part III, Line 1 - Mission: Rainforest Alliance Holding, Inc. was formed on January 1, 2018 to serve as the common non-profit parent corporation providing centralized governance and oversight over 2 wholly-owned non-profit entities: 1) Rainforest Alliance, Inc, a New York corporation and section 501(c)(3) public charity and 2) Sichting rainforest alliance, a tax-exempt Dutch foundation. -We bring together producers, business, governments, and civil society to create a more sustainable world. -Our standard sets the bar for sustainable agriculture. -We transform business practices, drive supply chain innovation, and engage consumers in positive change. -We work to rejuvenate agricultural landscapes and protect forests, foster sustainable livelihoods and build climate resilience across vulnerable regions. Form 990, Part III, Line 4A Growing Our Alliance, Scaling Our Impact Instead of protecting nature from people, Rainforest Alliance works to restore the balance between people and nature, so that they both can thrive together in harmony. As the world reaches the point where permanent damage becomes inevitable, we are leapfrogging from a "do no harm" sustainability mindset to a "repair and restore" regenerative mindset. The Rainforest Alliance works in more than 60 countries on both the supply and demand side of the market. On the supply side, we support millions of people in farming and forest communities to embrace more sustainable and regenerative practices to restore landscapes, while on the demand side, we help companies source more sustainable ingredients and understand their impact. To increase the speed and scale of change, we aim to grow our alliance from 7.5 million to 100 million farmers and workers by 2030. Landscape Programs Over the years, Rainforest Alliance have implemented that certification works best in combination with landscape-wide initiatives. Rainforest Alliance are now building on decades of conservation and community programs to maximize the impact in five critical landscapes. In these Thriving Landscapes, Rainforest Alliance provides training and support to farmers, community members, and other stakeholders working collaboratively toward their shared vision. Thriving Landscapes - A New Vision for the Future From the dense forest belts of Mount Kenya to the sprawling canopy of the Selva Maya, protecting the world's most iconic-and threatened-landscapes are central work to the Rainforest Alliance. To make the greatest impact, we focus our efforts on five key production landscapes. We believe that those who live on the land know best how to take care of it. That's why the Rainforest Alliance takes a unique and powerful approach: We center the vision for landscape sustainability that the communities and their alliances establish. It is this vision that forms the foundation and fuel for all our work to build a more sustainable future. Certification and Beyond -Rainforest Alliance Certification Helps Companies Make the Leap Toward EUDR Compliance Ending deforestation has always been at the heart of the Rainforest Alliance's mission, so we were thrilled when the European Union Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR) passed. Better yet, we only had to fast-track a few crucial tweaks to ensure our certification program was ready to support companies to comply with the new regulation. Before the end of 2024, companies that sell deforestation-risk commodities to EU markets (or export them from the EU) will need to meet the requirements of the EUDR, proving that their products do not come from land deforested after December 31, 2020. Our offerings include a range of tools and systems-like our AI-powered risk maps and EUDR Deforestation Risk Assessment Tool-that put farmers at the center and help cocoa and coffee companies get closer to meeting their EUDR obligations for both certified and non-certified products. -Raising the Bar: Ways to Strengthen RA Assurance System Based on third-party auditing by independent certification bodies, Rainforest Alliance assurance system verifies that businesses and farms follow the requirements of Rainforest Alliance certification. In 2023, we made this system more effective by: - Continuing to train and monitor the work of 30 certification bodies around the world (including auditing them and reviewing their licenses) - Tailoring guidance and policies to specific topics and sectors (including EUDR related updates for auditing, updated labor risk maps, and more) - Strengthening our internal investigation audit procedure for addressing complaints and improving our grievance mechanism procedure - Streamlining auditing tools and assurance documents to make the process simpler and cheaper for farmers Leading the Way to Responsible Supply Chains with the Accountability Framework In 2019, the Rainforest Alliance co-led the development of the Accountability Framework, a globally respected roadmap for building responsible supply chains beyond certification. We used this vital toolkit to help the Forest Positive Coalition of Action (FPC)-a group of 21 global brands with a combined value of US$1.8 trillion-create responsible sourcing plans for commodities linked to deforestation like soy, beef, palm oil, and timber. After working with the Rainforest Alliance, 100 percent of FPC members set a deforestation-free commitment for at least one key commodity in their supply chains. In contrast, fewer than half of all companies in these industries have made such a commitment. Certification highlights from 2023 Creating a brighter future for communities in Uganda's coffee landscape Uganda is one of the world's biggest coffee producers, with more than 1.8 million farmers depending on coffee for their livelihoods. Yet most of these farmers live in poverty, and child labor is a big issue throughout farming communities. To address these issues and promote child education, we launched a three-year project in two of Uganda's critical coffee-growing regions. Through the project, we set up: - Child labor committees and Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) in communities - Children's rights committees and parent-teacher associations in school - Committees within companies that focus on improving how to address human rights issues - Social, economic, and educational committees at the government level Rainforest Alliance global campaign to ban farming's deadly weedkiller The global transition to regenerative agriculture begins with banning the deadliest chemicals used in farming. Paraquat is a highly toxic herbicide that is wreaking havoc on the environment and can be fatal for humans, even in small doses. It has been banned on Rainforest Alliance Certified farms since the start of our program, but it is still widely used on cocoa and other crops worldwide. That's why we're petitioning for a global phase out once and for all. In 2023, we gathered 30,000 signatures. These have been used to urge governments to ban paraquat, encourage companies in the food industry to prevent its use, and support farmers to adopt regenerative agriculture techniques that don't require harmful herbicides. Stopping sexual violence on Kenyan tea farms In Kenya, 76 percent of women work in agriculture, carrying out back-breaking physical labor for low pay and little job security. Worse, sexual violence against women farmworkers is commonplace. In 2023, the Rainforest Alliance implemented a gender action plan to tackle gender-based violence and harassment in the Kenyan tea sector-from the farm to government level. Through targeted training and support, farms and factories strengthened gender-sensitive policies and systems that get to the root of the problem, the first step toward shifting long-held cultural norms. Championing fair labor practices across the Latin American fruit sector The farming of bananas and tropical fruits in Latin America is often linked to risks of forced labor and other workers' rights violations. In 2023, the Rainforest Alliance wrapped up a project that addressed these issues in Mexico and Costa Rica. Using Stronger Together's program for responsible recruitment, we piloted tools to help farms and cooperatives prevent, identify, and act on recruitment-related risks. In Guatemala and Ecuador, we helped farms reduce their reliance on pesticides to improve worker health while boosting their agricultural productivity. Form 990, Part III, Line 4A Thriving Landscapes From the dense forest belts of Mount Kenya to the sprawling canopy of the Selva Maya, protecting the world's most iconic-and threatened-landscapes is central to our work at the Rainforest Alliance. To make the greatest impact, we focus our efforts on five key production landscapes. We believe that those who live on the land know best how to take care of it. That's why the Rainforest Alliance takes a unique and powerful approach: We center the vision for landscape sustainability that the communities and their alliances establish. It is this vision that forms the foundation and fuel for all our work to build a more sustainable future. How We Are Regenerating Ghana's Sui River Landscape In Ghana's Sui River region-one of West Africa's most important cocoa-growing areas-we are working with communities to support regenerative agriculture, forest restoration, and thriving local economies. Representatives from 106 farming communities joined forces with government officials, cocoa traders, chocolate manufacturers, and the Rainforest Alliance to develop a landscape action plan for 382,000 hectares. Through the plan, farmers are: - Learning to apply regenerative and climate-smart practices, including planting shade trees, composting, and conserving water. - Getting support setting up additional businesses, such as vegetable and snail farming, bee keeping, and honey production to boost their incomes. - Planting tree seedlings on cocoa farms, along riverbanks, and in formerly degraded areas. - Gaining ownership of trees through a simplified tree registration process. How We Partner with Indigenous Communities to Regenerate Landscapes Managing at least one quarter of the world's lands, Indigenous peoples have proven themselves to be the foremost forest guardians. Drawing on millennia of traditional knowledge, these communities have long practiced the key elements of regenerative agriculture. From the Maya technique of planting complementary crops together to the complex irrigation systems used to sustainably manage water in parts of India, it's clear that we have much to learn from these communities. That's why we've always made it a priority at the Rainforest Alliance to partner with-and take our cues from-Indigenous peoples wherever we work. Form 990, Part III, Line 4B Rainforest Alliance Approach for Achieving Impact Markets need to become a faster and more scalable solution to the collapse of critical ecosystems. Rainforest Alliance strategy is to accelerate the speed and scale of impact through a virtuous cycle; where more sustainable farming leads to more committed companies and consumers, leading to more investment and support for farmers, and so on. This cycle will act like a flywheel, with economies of scale and our brand influence, propelling us to reach 100 million people in farming and forest communities by 2030. The three pillars of this approach are: -Net Positive Transforming agriculture and forestry to net positive: We partner with farmers and communities to promote regenerative methods that give more than they take.? -Thriving Landscapes Turning high value geographies into thriving landscapes: With an alliance of local-to-global partners working under a shared vision, we are restoring some of the world's most critical landscapes. -Impact Data Empowering stakeholders with impact data: We are building one integrated data system for all our programs to drive continuous improvement from individual farms to surrounding landscapes. The Rainforest Alliance is committed to building one integrated data system for all our programs, from farm to landscape level. This, in turn, will unlock further opportunities for impact and smart investments across global value chains. Transforming the cocoa sector in Indonesia When nine days of heavy rains devastated a community in Ende, East Nusa Tenggara, local cocoa farmers joined forces with the Rainforest Alliance to rebuild their livelihoods-and prepare for future climate shocks. Together with our partner NGO Rikolto, we ran trainings in climate-smart farming techniques focused on flood prevention and crop health- from seasonal pruning and mulching to digging "rorak" pits to collect rainwater runoff. This work is part of our wider initiative to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers in seven regions across Indonesia. In 2023, we trained 1,928 smallholders in key skills, including climate resilience, gender equality awareness, farming as a business, and cocoa fermentation. Regenerative Approach to Tea in Mount Kenya On the slopes of Mount Kenya, RA is teaming up with farmers, companies, and government agencies to protect an iconic East African landscape. RA set up a community-led Landscape Management Board tasked with forest restoration and strengthening rural livelihoods. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 11B THE CFO INITIALLY REVIEWS THE ORGANIZATION'S DRAFT FORM 990. THE GENERAL COUNSEL REVIEWS THE DRAFT 990 WITH RESPECT TO ANY QUESTIONS INVOLVING LEGAL MATTERS. THE DRAFT FORM 990 IS DISTRIBUTED TO EACH OF THE ORGANIZATION'S OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS IN ADVANCE OF FILING. THE CFO OVERSEES ANY REVISIONS BEFORE THE FINAL FORM 990 IS FILED. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 12C A COPY OF OUR CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY, ALONG WITH A CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURE STATEMENT, IS FURNISHED TO EACH DIRECTOR, OFFICER AND STAFF MEMBER OF THE RAINFOREST ALLIANCE UPON UNDERTAKING THE DUTIES OF SUCH OFFICE, AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER FOR THE TERM OF SUCH PERSON'S SERVICE TO THE ORGANIZATION. ANY DISCLOSURES ARE REVIEWED BY AN INTERNAL COMMITTEE MADE UP OF THE CEO, CFO AND THE GENERAL COUNSEL, AND ARE REPORTED ON A PERIODIC BASIS TO THE AUDIT AND RISK COMMITTEE. THE AUDIT AND RISK COMMITTEE HAS AMONG ITS RESPONSIBILITIES THE DUTY OF REVIEWING AND MAKING DETERMINATIONS WITH RESPECT TO all TRANSACTIONS, AGREEMENTS, OR ARRANGEMENTS INVOLVING DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, AND KEY EMPLOYEES. IN ADDITION, A DETAILED FORM 990 DISCLOSURE STATEMENT IS DISTRIBUTED ANNUALLY TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE THAT AWARDS KLEINHANS FELLOWSHIPS AND THE RAINFOREST ALLIANCE'S DIRECTORS, OFFICERS AND KEY EMPLOYEES. IT REQUESTS DISCLOSURES THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE REPORTED ON FORM 990 ABOUT ANY TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN THE ORGANIZATION AND THOSE WHO SERVE IT IN VARIOUS VOLUNTEER AND PAID CAPACITIES, AND ABOUT ANY TRANSACTIONS AMONG THOSE PERSONS. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 15A & 15B The Organization does not compensate employees or officers. However, directors and officers of related organizations are compensated. Rainforest Alliance Inc policies are as follows: THE ORGANIZATION HAS DEVELOPED SALARY ADMINISTRATION GUIDELINES (THE "GUIDELINES") THAT APPLY IN SETTING THE COMPENSATION OF ALL OF ITS EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING ITS CEO, OFFICERS, AND KEY EMPLOYEES. UNDER THE GUIDELINES, THE ORGANIZATION UTILIZES SEVERAL SALARY SURVEYS WITH SIMILARLY SIZED, INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO ENSURE THAT ITS SALARIES ARE WITHIN THE RANGE OF THOSE OF COMPARABLE ORGANIZATIONS. GENERALLY, THE MIDPOINT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S SALARY RANGES FALLS WITHIN THE SALARY RANGE AVERAGES OF COMPARABLE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. PERFORMANCE REVIEWS ARE THEN USED TO ESTABLISH AN INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE'S COMPENSATION WITHIN THE RANGE SET BY COMPARABILITY DATA. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES MODIFICATION OF COMPENSATION THAT EXTENDS TO SUBSTANTIALLY ALL EMPLOYEES. THE GUIDELINES ALSO REQUIRE THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO REVIEW AND APPROVE SEPARATELY THE COMPENSATION OF THE CEO AND CFO, UNLESS SUCH INDIVIDUALS RECEIVE A MODIFICATION OF COMPENSATION THAT EXTENDS TO SUBSTANTIALLY ALL EMPLOYEES. TO ENSURE RA PAY SCALES ARE CONSISTENT, FAIR AND COMPETITIVE, RA REGULARLY ENGAGES THE MERCER GROUP TO CONDUCT A GLOBAL REVIEW OF ITS DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL PAY SCALES. THE MOST RECENT REVIEW WAS COMPLETED IN 2019. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19 The Organization's governing documents and financial statements are available to the public upon written request to management. In addition, the Organization's audited financial statements, 990's, conflict of interest and whistleblower policies, and summaries of all of its policies and procedures to ensure independence, are available on its Website. 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