Rainforest Alliance

Please complete the CAF in its current version, according to your certification option and scope established in RACP. CUServices will review your application request and assess whether we can provide the service. In this evaluation, we will also verify if the requested scope is correct or if it needs to be adjusted. You will be asked for the required documents prior to the audit (audit preparation documents).

Our commercial executives will send you an economic proposal, describing the costs. Along with the offer letter you will find the Terms of Contract. If you agree to the offer, return a copy signed by the legal representative. Once the contract is signed, you enter into an agreement with CUServices to join our certification program.

After receiving payment of the agreed fee for the service, we will start planning the date of your visit. At this stage, you will have the opportunity to complete the audit preparation documents according to your certification option and send them to us no later than between the 3rd and 2nd week before the audit.

This is the first audit of a CUServices client for the RA Program, as part of a 3-year certification cycle (Certification Audit, Surveillance Audit 1, and Surveillance Audit 2). The lead auditor and/or qualified audit team will evaluate the compliance of your operation with the program requirements. As a result of the audit, non-compliances (Non-Conformities) may be detected against the program requirements. The lead auditor will inform you of these during the closing meeting and will indicate the deadlines for resolving the non-compliances. You will need to submit your corrections, root cause analysis, and corrective actions to address the NCs. This information will be evaluated by the auditor, who will determine whether the evidence is sufficient for the effective closure of the non-conformity. Additionally, possible cases that could lead to a denial of certification will be communicated.

Based on the results of the audit and the effective closure of findings, the certifier will make a certification decision on whether or not to grant certification according to the certification rules.

If you were granted a certificate for the program, this indicates that you have an active license on the RACP/Multitrace platform. You must register each transaction of certified products on the Rainforest Alliance platform to allow for the issuance of a transaction certificate. Please keep in mind the reporting timelines specified in the standard.

The client must demonstrate that they continue to comply with the program requirements, for which follow-up audits will be scheduled according to the certification cycle. To do this, the client must confirm their scope in RACP each year and prepare and share the audit preparation documents with CUServices. On the other hand, CUServices may conduct other types of audits, such as scope extension audits, surprise audits, investigative audits, and follow-up audits, as established in the Rules, to maintain certification. As a result of this process, it will be determined whether to maintain, expand, reduce, suspend, or revoke the granted certification.