The two certification organizations announced on June 7, 2017 their intention to merge later this year. The new organization, will be named the Rainforest Alliance with a single certification program known as the Rainforest Alliance standard.
Once the two organizations have merged, Han de Groot, current executive director of UTZ, will be the CEO of the Rainforest Alliance. Nigel Sizer, current president of the Rainforest Alliance, will take on the role of Chief Program Officer, Advocacy, Landscapes and Livelihoods.
The future Rainforest Alliance will continue to be a member of the Sustainable Agriculture Network, working in partnership with other organizations to promote sustainable agriculture.
The existing two programs will continue to operate in parallel until a new standard is published in early 2019 followed by a transition period.
More information is available on the UTZ website.
