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Home » Issues » Human rights » Worker rights

Worker rights

An archive of information about worker rights available on the Rainforest Alliance website.

The Rainforest Alliance has worked for more than 30 years to make agriculture more sustainable—and for us, the well-being of those who work on farms is central to that effort. When workers and farmers can earn a decent livelihood under decent working conditions, farms are more productive and land stewardship is more sustainable. Households become less vulnerable to poverty and economic shocks and more resilient to climate change. In short: everyone benefits.

We protect and promote the human rights of hundreds of thousands of farmworkers through our certification program, and of tens of thousands more in our community-level work. Our certification program is aligned with the key UN Conventions on Human Rights and ILO Labor Conventions. It includes a farm-level due diligence system, “assess-and-address”, focused on prevention, engagement, improvement, and encouraging farmers and companies to tackle these issues rather than hiding them. We also advocate with governments on passing and enforcing legislation that requires companies to follow human rights and environmental due diligence processes.

Quick Links


What’s in our certification program? Assess-and-Address approach

Understand our approach to tackling child labor, forced labor, discrimination, and workplace violence and harassment in agriculture through farm-level due diligence.

How Companies Can Share Responsibility in Paying Farm Workers a Living Wage

We’re committed to closing the gap towards a living wage for farmworkers. Read about how we support companies to achieve living wages for workers in their businesses and supply chains.

Grievance Systems

Our grievance system is designed to ensure that allegations of human rights abuses or environmental destruction are identified and remediated.

Promoting Human Rights Across Sectors and Regions

Download this sell sheet to learn how we help companies mitigate human rights risks in their supply chains and sourcing landscapes.

Our Work


Article

Strengthening Worker Rights and Well-Being in Agriculture

Through certification, landscape and community programs, tailored supply chain services, and advocacy, we are helping to protect and promote the rights of farmworkers around the world.

Learn More
Article

Why We Advocate for Mandatory Due Diligence Legislation

Mandatory due diligence legislation can ensure that companies identify, prevent, mitigate, and account for potential risks and negative impacts that their practices may have on human rights and the environment.

Learn More
Article

What’s A Certain Path to Sustainability? Advancing Gender Equality 

Gender equality is essential for sustainability. It will take steady collective action to transform oppressive systems and advance the rights of women and girls. Here’s what we’re doing to get there.

Learn More
Project Profiles

Project Profile: Improving Livelihoods of Farmers and Workers Across the Fruit Sector in Latin America

This project will provide training and engagement to at least 37,093 workers in the avocado and berry (strawberry and raspberry) sectors in Mexico and the banana and pineapple sectors in Costa Rica.

Learn More

All resources for Worker rights


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Policies and rules

Grievance Procedure

The procedure is open to anyone who has a grievance against a member (producer or supply chain actor), a certification body (CB), or against the Rainforest Alliance itself.... View more

Published on October 27, 2023
Available in: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Japanese

A worker tends to coffee plants
Article

What’s It Like to Work on a Rainforest Alliance Certified Coffee Farm? Six Migrant Workers Share Their Stories

Migrant workers from Guatemala talk about working on certified farms in Chiapas, Mexico.

Published on September 22, 2023

Annual Report

2022 Annual Report: We’re all in.

Dive into our 2022 Annual Report—and discover the extraordinary people and places at the heart of our global mission. We’re all in. Are you?... View more

Published on June 27, 2023
Available in: English, Spanish, German, French, Japanese

Videos

Transforming the Hazelnut Sector in Türkiye

To end child labor on hazelnut farms, the Rainforest Alliance has built a broad partnership of farmers, parents, teachers, hazelnut companies, NGOs, and local government. Learn about our work in this video.

Published on June 7, 2023

Coffee farmer Anna Cheptoek Chemutai and her husband Alfred

European Parliament Vote on the CSDDD: Significant Improvements for the Rights of Smallholder Farmers

While there is still work to be done in the negotiation process, this parliamentary vote sets us on the right path toward a more responsible and sustainable business landscape.

Published on June 1, 2023

Farm workers at Platanera Río Sixaola banana farm in Costa Rica
Organizational Updates

Rainforest Alliance Certification and Beyond: Useful Tools for Company Due Diligence

The Rainforest Alliance considers human rights and environmental due diligence a fundamental corporate responsibility. Our certification program and tailored supply chain services can help companies adhere to the due diligence laws we’re advocating for.

Published on April 24, 2023

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