RoundAbout wrote:I don't understand the timeline. Is this condition for government funding new, and now he has stepped down? I can't seem to find any sources, though I suppose they may not be online or in english.
Also, most of the Rainforest Alliance's money seems to come from participation agreements with companies that use certified farms. So most of their money seems to come from the industry they regulate, unless that's changed more recently (not sure how you would check without financial statements more recent than 2018, which is all I can find). They have a breakdown here:
https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/faqs/how-is-the-rainforest-alliance-funded My sources are some people i know, who work for UTZ, in amsterdam.
There is a lot of stuff going on within the organisation right now. Some people at UTZ are even talking about "divorcing" the rainforest alliance.
I have been told that the rainforest alliance has also been involved in some things that are quite dodgy.
Maybe even fraud.
As far as i can see, there is no reason for people at UTZ to lie to me about these things. The people i know, who work for UTZ, are passionate about their work and devoted to making this world a better place.
Their major fear is that these things, when they come out, will damage the reputation of UTZ. Integrity is the core of the UTZ brand. If people believe you take bribes, the brand becomes worthless.