UTZ Certified facts for kids
 |
|
| Non-profit organization | |
| Industry | Product certification, sustainability |
| Founded | Amsterdam, The Netherlands (2002) |
| Headquarters | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
|
Key people
|
Han de Groot, Executive Director |
|
Number of employees
|
400+ (2019) |
UTZ, once known as UTZ Certified, was a special program and a label that helped farmers grow crops in a way that was good for the planet and the people working on farms. It was like a stamp of approval for "sustainable farming." This means farming that can continue for a long time without harming the environment or using up all resources.
UTZ started in the Netherlands in 2002 as a non-profit group. A non-profit group uses its money to help a cause, not to make a profit for owners. The UTZ label appeared on over 10,000 products in more than 116 countries. In 2014, it was the biggest program for sustainable coffee and cocoa farming worldwide. UTZ looked at how farms were managed, how workers lived, and how the environment was treated. In 2018, UTZ joined forces with the Rainforest Alliance. They merged to better fight big problems like cutting down too many trees (deforestation), climate change, poverty, and unfairness in society.
Contents
How UTZ Started
UTZ began in 2002 with the name Utz Kapeh. This means 'Good Coffee' in the Quiché language, which is spoken by some Mayan people. It was started by Nick Bocklandt, a coffee farmer from Guatemala, and Ward de Groote, a coffee seller from the Netherlands. Their main goal was to make farming sustainable on a large scale around the world. The Solidaridad Network also helped UTZ grow into a global standard by giving money and support on the ground.
On March 7, 2007, the group officially changed its name and logo to UTZ Certified. Then, on January 1, 2016, they shortened the name again to just UTZ. The word "UTZ" still means 'Good' in the Mayan language Quiché.
In June 2017, UTZ and the Rainforest Alliance announced they would merge. This merger was completed in January 2018. The new, combined organization is now called the Rainforest Alliance. Both organizations had their own certification programs running side-by-side for a while. However, from July 2021, a new single program based on the 2020 Sustainable Agriculture Standard is being used. This new program helps farms that were certified under the old UTZ program to easily switch to the new one.
Products That Were UTZ Certified
UTZ helped make sure many popular products were grown in a good way.
Coffee
UTZ was the second largest program in the world for sustainable coffee. In 2016, over 870,000 metric tons of coffee were UTZ certified. That's a lot of coffee!
Cocoa
.jpg)
The UTZ program for cocoa (which is used to make chocolate) started on October 10, 2007. UTZ worked with big companies like Ahold, Cargill, Heinz, Mars, and Nestlé. They all helped create a new system to certify and track sustainable cocoa. Other groups like Solidaridad and Oxfam Novib also supported this idea from the start.
The first UTZ certified cocoa products appeared in stores in 2009. By 2014, UTZ became the biggest program for sustainable cocoa in the world. Over 336,300 cocoa farmers from 16 countries were part of the UTZ program. In 2012, about 13% of all cocoa produced globally was UTZ certified. By 2017, UTZ was certifying about 1.5 million tons of cocoa. This was about two-thirds of all certified cocoa in the world.
Tea
The UTZ program also helped with tea and rooibos (a type of herbal tea). This program was launched in 2007.
Hazelnuts
In 2014, UTZ started a program for hazelnuts. They wanted to see if they could make hazelnut farming more sustainable too. The program first started in Turkey. Since then, it has grown to include countries like Georgia, Azerbaijan, Italy, and Spain.
The UTZ Code of Conduct
The UTZ certification program was based on something called the UTZ Code of Conduct. This was a set of rules for farmers to follow. These rules covered how to farm responsibly and manage farms well. Farmers who wanted to be UTZ certified had to follow this code.
The 2014 version of the Code was based on international rules from the International Labour Organization (ILO). It also included ideas from many people involved, including the farmers themselves. This meant the Code was widely accepted. There was a main set of rules for all farmers. Then, there were extra rules for specific products like coffee, cocoa, and tea. The system was designed for "continuous improvement." This means farmers had to meet basic safety and quality rules from the first year. Then, they had to meet more rules in the years that followed.
What the Code Covered
The rules in the UTZ Code of Conduct fell into four main groups:
Farm Management
- Finding ways to grow more crops.
- Having a system for groups of farmers to manage their farms. This included checking their own farms each year.
- Keeping good records of everything.
- Checking for risks and planning how to deal with them.
- Training farmers and workers and making them aware of the rules.
- Recording how much product was grown in the UTZ tracking system.
Farming Practices
- Choosing the best types of plants to grow.
- Taking good care of the farm.
- Managing the health of the soil.
- Growing different types of crops to help nature and make the farm stronger financially.
- Using smart ways to control pests (like bugs).
- Using agro-chemicals and fertilizers safely and correctly, and keeping records of how they were used.
- Using water wisely for irrigation.
- Handling products carefully during and after harvest.
Social and Living Conditions
- Following national laws and ILO rules about fair wages and working hours. This included the idea of a "living wage" for individual farms.
- No forced labor or child labour.
- Allowing workers to join groups and discuss their rights.
- Making sure working conditions were safe and healthy. This meant:
- Providing protective clothing for working with chemicals.
- Giving safety training to workers in their own language.
- Treating everyone equally, no matter their gender.
- No unfair treatment (discrimination).
- Allowing people to express their culture freely.
- Making sure children could go to school.
- Providing good housing, clean drinking water, and health care for workers and their families.
Environment
- Using water and energy wisely.
- Managing waste properly.
- Helping to increase the variety of plants and animals (ecological diversity).
- Protecting nature.
- Not cutting down primary forests (very old forests).
- Respecting areas that are protected by law.
- Protecting animals and plants that are in danger.
- Reducing and preventing soil erosion (when soil is washed away).
- Taking steps to deal with climate change.
Special Rules for Different Products
Some products had extra rules:
Coffee
- How to properly prepare coffee after it's picked.
- How to treat wastewater from coffee processing.
Cocoa
- Using shade trees to protect cocoa plants.
- How to dry and prepare cocoa beans correctly.
Tea
- Picking tea leaves at the right time.
- Handling harvested leaves correctly.
- Checking the quality of the tea.
- Managing energy and wastewater.
Rooibos
- Rotating crops (growing different things in the same field over time).
- Picking rooibos at the right time.
- Handling rooibos correctly after harvest.
- Preventing bush fires.
- Finding and protecting wild rooibos areas.
Keeping Products Separate: Chain of Custody
To make sure that a product with an UTZ logo really came from an UTZ certified farm, the program had "chain of custody" rules. These rules made sure that UTZ certified products were kept separate from regular products. They also required keeping records of who sold and bought the products. This helped track the product from the farm all the way to the store.
Tracking Products: Traceability
UTZ certified coffee, cocoa, and tea could be tracked through the entire journey from farm to store. UTZ used a special online system for this.
When an UTZ certified farmer sold their products, they would record it in the UTZ online system. They would say what they were shipping, how much, and to whom. The buyer would then confirm this in the system. UTZ would give a special tracking number to this batch of products. At the end of the supply chain, the company making the final product (like a chocolate bar) could use this tracking number. This showed that their product truly came from a certified farm. Some brands even let customers use this number to see where their product came from!
Tracking Services for Other Groups
UTZ also helped other groups with their tracking needs. For example, they developed and managed the tracking system for the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. This system started in December 2008.
How Products Got Certified
Independent groups called "third-party auditors" would visit farms every year. They checked to make sure farmers were following the UTZ Code of Conduct.
Certification Bodies
A certification body (CB) is an independent group that checks farms. If UTZ Certified approved them, these groups would visit coffee, cocoa, and tea farms each year. They checked if the farms followed the UTZ Code of Conduct and the chain of custody rules.
Trained Experts
An UTZ-trained agronomist was a special expert. They were trained to help farmers follow the UTZ Code of Conduct. These experts could give advice on how to put the rules into practice. They also helped farmers make their farm management more efficient.
What Was the Impact of UTZ?
In 2014, UTZ shared its first report on its impact. This report looked at 24 studies and data collected by UTZ. It said that UTZ cocoa, coffee, and tea farms often grew more crops and better quality crops than regular farms. Also, getting training in the UTZ Code of Conduct helped farmers learn more and use sustainable farming methods.
How UTZ Products Were Priced
Coffee, cocoa, and tea with an UTZ certification had extra value. This is because buyers knew these products were grown according to a well-known standard for responsible farming. This meant they followed the UTZ Code of Conduct.
The price for UTZ certified coffee was decided when the buyer and seller talked and agreed. UTZ did not get involved in these price talks. Unlike fair trade programs, UTZ did not set a minimum price that buyers had to pay. Instead, UTZ focused on helping farmers use "good agricultural practices." The idea was that by improving their farming, farmers could grow more and better quality crops. This would then help them earn more money.
See also
- Fair trade
- Ethical consumerism
- Harkin–Engel Protocol
- International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements
