The Rainforest Alliance, a New York-based nonprofit, prides itself on its ability to help multinational companies improve their labor and environmental practices. That work, the organization maintains, improves livelihoods and helps preserve fragile lands and water sources in developing countries. But last month, the prominent environmental group and international certifier found itself accused in a civil lawsuit in Washington state Superior Court of “unfair and deceptive marketing practices.” At issue was its certification of allegedly unsound banana-producing operations in Guatemala by Chiquita Brands International. The civil suit was brought on Dec. 17 by Water and Sanitation Health (WASH), a Seattle-based nonprofit dedicated to guaranteeing clean water for poor communities. It alleges that the Rainforest Alliance certified as ecologically friendly and sustainable plantations... [Log in to read more]
