Rainforest Alliance and UTZ announce plans to merge

NEW YORK, USA and AMSTERDAM, NL – Leading sustainability certification NGOs, the New York based Rainforest Alliance and Amsterdam based UTZ, have this week announced their intention to merge later in the year.
 
 
Under the name, Rainforest Alliance, the new organisation will tackle environmental and social issues worldwide, including climate change, deforestation, poverty and unsustainable farming.  The organisation will introduce a new, single certification standard to be published in early 2019. 
 
A spokesperson from the groups commented, ‘The new organization will create a single agriculture sustainability standard, it will simplify the certification process and continue to improve livelihoods for farmers and forest communities.’
 
 
When the two organisations merge, Han de Groot, current executive director of UTZ, will take on the role of CEO of the Rainforest Alliance.  Nigel Sizer, current president of the Rainforest Alliance, will transition to Chief Program Officer, Advocacy, Landscapes and Livelihoods.
 
 
‘The future Rainforest Alliance will have a bigger reach and stronger voice, allowing it to better protect the natural environment and allow farmers, businesses and consumers to be make even more responsible choices, more easily,’ commented Groot.