On Sept 8th, the Rainforest Alliance unveiled its new Regenerative Agriculture Standard for farms meeting a comprehensive set of requirements1. Nespresso will be the first brand to source certified regenerative coffee, with one of the initial coffees coming from Yamileth Chacón's farm in Costa Rica. Additional farms in Costa Rica and Mexico have also received certification and will soon bear the new regenerative seal. The seal will begin appearing on the Nespresso coffees starting in 2026.
The threat of climate change to coffee is clear: rising global temperatures cause erratic weather events and enables pests and diseases to proliferate. 33% of the Earth soils are already degraded and over 90% are likely to become degraded by 20502. But there is an opportunity for agriculture to help restore nature's essential functions while improving farmers' livelihoods. This is what regenerative agriculture is all about. What's more, regenerative practices such as planting shade trees can actually enhance the quality of fine arabica coffee beans3, which is particularly sensitive to temperature fluctuations and disrupted rainfall patterns.
Yamileth Chacón, a coffee farmer from Costa Rica, said "With regenerative agriculture, you can see a change. By working with the trees, you see more foliage, more green, and more animals."
For nearly 40 years, the Rainforest Alliance has partnered with farmers, companies, and communities around the world to advance sustainable agriculture practices. In recent years, the organisation has worked with farmers, partners, and experts to develop its new Regenerative Agriculture Standard. Initially available for coffee, the standard aligns with international and local requirements for environmental labels. The new certification seal is designed to help companies and farmers measure regenerative outcomes, build climate resilience, and stand out in a fast-changing regulatory and consumer landscape.