We are proud to introduce a new symbol into the Rainforest Alliance family of marks: our new Rainforest Alliance certification seal. The new seal is a bold mark for change, helping consumers make choices that are better for them, for people, and for nature.
The new seal can be used on product packaging and other promotional materials from September 1, 2020. On this page and in our New Seal Support Deck For Companies, business partners can find everything they need to start transitioning to the new seal.
What the new Rainforest Alliance certification seal means for your product
The new seal will replace the current Rainforest Alliance Certified seal and the UTZ label, but there will be a period when all three seals will be visible in the market. We encourage you to transition to the new Rainforest Alliance seal at your earliest convenience, so you can enjoy the competitive advantage of being a leader in creating a more sustainable future.
Phasing out the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal and UTZ label
Click on the product icons below to learn more about the timelines to phase out the current Rainforest Alliance Certified seal and UTZ label in your sector. Please take note of accelerated timelines for cocoa, the royalties/fees alignment across all crops, and a shift in point of invoicing for certain crops.
How to use the new certification seal
Beginning September 1, 2020, the new seal can be used on product packaging and other promotional materials. The new seal graphics can be downloaded through our Marketplace 2.0 portal starting in the beginning of June. To use the seal, you’ll need to meet specific certification criteria as defined in the Rainforest Alliance Labeling and Trademarks Policy, have a signed License Agreement with the Rainforest Alliance, and comply with the Rainforest Alliance Seal Graphic Guidelines.
Signing a new License Agreement
All company partners need to sign the new trademark License Agreement (2020 Version) with the Rainforest Alliance in order to get approval of their materials with the new seal, even if their current License Agreement is still valid. This will be possible after the beginning of June.
In the beginning of June, simply log into your Marketplace account, select the “Legal Agreements” tab, click “New”, fill out the required fields, and then click “Send”. Within a few business days, we’ll send you a customized agreement to sign. Once signed, uploaded, and validated, you’ll be eligible for approvals to use our new seal.
Labeling guidelines and approval process
Along with our new seal, we have published an updated Labeling and Trademarks Policy. This policy incorporates the best of what was in the Rainforest Alliance trademarks guidelines and the UTZ labeling policy and has been simplified and updated with new content. Please make sure to carefully read this policy before submitting materials for approval.
Product packaging and other promotional materials using the new seal must be submitted for review and approval on the Marketplace portal after the start of June when the new Approval Request form will be available. After the beginning of June, you will also find the new seal’s design files under the “Seal Download” section of the “Trademarks & Labeling” tab (left-hand side of the portal).
In the beginning of June after the new Approval Request Form is available, you may request approval on your designs with the new seal. Simply click on “Trademarks & Labeling” (left-hand side), click “Approval Requests” and then “Request”. (Designs uploaded before the new Approval Request Form is available in the beginning of June won’t be reviewed or approved.) We’ll review the designs promptly and send an email with an approval or feedback on needed edits. Please be sure to allow time for the review process in your planning.
Should your design require adjustment, you will need to upload it for review again. You can submit approval requests for your designs prior to signing your new License Agreement, but they will only appear as “Approved” once your new License Agreement is signed and validated.
What the new Rainforest Alliance certification seal stands for
This newly designed seal is part of our new brand identity, following the merger between the Rainforest Alliance and UTZ in 2018.
The new certification seal is a simple visual that shows consumers how to make a better choice. It demonstrates that farmers and companies are taking steps to make their products more sustainable, creating a better future for people and nature. It’s a symbol of hope, action, and progress and a way for brands to tell the story about the good that goes into their products.
The new seal represents a vision of a sustainability pathway based on continuous improvement, transparency, and shared responsibility between farmers and companies to achieve our mission; creating a better future for people and nature by making responsible business the new normal. Because, only together we can restore the harmony between people and nature and create a world where we thrive together.
Our alliance is all about changing the way the world produces, sources, and consumes agricultural and forestry products. Together with farmers, communities, companies, and consumers we can create the positive change we all want to see. Our new 2020 Certification Program is a step forward on that journey.
A fresh, modernized seal with a sleeker, more dynamic frog on product packaging will show consumers what we stand for and that they can be part of our alliance by making better choices more easily.
Read more about what the new seal represents in our one-pager.
Support & resources
Download our New Seal Support Deck For Companies for a clear and comprehensive overview of everything you need to know about the new seal, from a recap of timelines to the benefits of transitioning. It also includes a summary of the new Rainforest Alliance Labeling and Trademarks Policy and the key improvements from the current Rainforest Alliance seal guidelines and UTZ labeling policy.
Whether you have previously featured the UTZ label or legacy Rainforest Alliance seal on your products, we can support you in telling the story of what’s behind the frog seal to consumers. We offer our partnering companies tips, guidance and a communication toolkit with sample copy and digital assets to help make the transition to the new Rainforest Alliance seal as smooth as possible.
Consumer engagement and the Follow the Frog campaign
We are eager to support you in promoting our new frog seal with our own consumer engagement efforts. This summer, we are launching a 360-degree marketing strategy to increase consumer participation and engagement with the Rainforest Alliance brand and increase awareness around the new seal. More details can be found in our New Seal Support Deck For Companies.
One of the milestones in our consumer engagement efforts is our Follow the Frog campaign, where we are excited to reveal the new seal to the public and build on the meaning of the frog as a symbol in our work.
We will help consumers familiarize themselves with the new seal and to recognize our old Rainforest Alliance Certified seal and UTZ label as part of the same family, while increasing awareness of what it means to see these seals on packaging. We will refresh messaging around certification and “positive consumption”.
Together with many of our partner companies, we will encourage consumers to take action, for example by choosing certified products. Be sure to take advantage of the increased consumer awareness of the new seal we will create during the Follow the Frog time period by transitioning to the new seal as soon as possible.
FAQ
We have developed a page with Frequently Asked Questions to answer all your questions about transitioning to the new seal, the requirements, timelines, and more. Check it out and please let us know if your question is not addressed there.
Contact us
Do you have any additional questions, ideas, or feedback related to the new Rainforest Alliance certification seal? Get in touch, we’re here to support you and think this through with you. For practical questions, send an email to customersuccess@ra.org.
Drop us a line at marketing@ra.org for more information about promoting the new seal or our Follow the Frog campaign. Or simply reach out to your regular Rainforest Alliance contact. We’d love to hear from you!