AHPA Sustainability Resources

These resources are compiled to help members and the herbal industry on their sustainability journey

Resources included on this page are intended to assist our members on their sustainability journey and inclusion does not represent verification or endorsement by AHPA. If you feel there are resources missing or if something is included here that does not meet high sustainability standards, please let us know by emailing AHPA Chief Science Officer Holly E. Johnson, Ph.D.

Sustainable Sources for Herbs

Many certifying bodies have databases that list companies and herb suppliers that are demonstrating some level of sustainable production. This is a great place to start when trying to find sustainable sources for herbs and other ingredients.

• DEMETER World Wide Biodynamic Production Database

• ECOCERT Fair For Life Certified Operators

• ECOCERT Fair For Life Certified Products

• Fair Trade USA certified ingredients and operators @ SCS Global Services Agriculture Products - Certified Suppliers, Commodities & Labels online database

• FairWild Foundation (FWF) FairWild Certified Ingredients

• FairWild Foundation (FWF) FairWild Participant Companies

• FLOCERT Database of Fair Trade International (FLO) Fairtrade certified ingredients, products, and operations

• International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) Online Directory

• Rainforest Alliance Certified™ online database of farms, farmer groups, and chain-of-custody certificates

• Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT) Members

• UEBT/Rainforest Alliance Herbs & Spices Program certified ingredients and operations

• USDA Organic Integrity Database

International Sustainability Guidelines and Standards

The United Nations has spearheaded many conventions, guidelines and standards. Here are those that are applicable to the herbal industry.

• UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

• UN Global Compact

• UN International Trade Center (ITC) Sustainability Standards Map

• UN Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)

• UN Sustainable Development Goals

• UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

• UNEP Species+ Database

Sustainable Packaging Companies

The following are companies that either offer sustainable packaging options or work in sustainable packaging innovation. Again, this is not a complete list and companies included here are provided for the convenience of members only and are not verified or endorsed by AHPA.

• EPAC LLC

• Tricor Braun

• RDC

Sustainable Packaging Resources

The following organizations are great resources for training and additional information on sustainable packaging.

• Sustainable Packaging Coalition

• Climate Collaborative

• Sustainability in Packaging Conference

United States Sustainability Based Laws and Regulations

• California Transparency in Supply Chains Act

• USDA National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard

• USDA National Organic Program (NOP)

• USDA NOP Guidance on Natural Resources and Biodiversity Conservation (PDF)

• USDA NOP Guidance on Wild Crop Harvesting

• US Fish and Wildlife Service CITES Authority

Assessment Tools

• United Plant Savers Assessment Tool

Good Agricultural and Collection Practices

• AHPA GACPs

• WHO GACPs

AHPA Good Stewardship Collection Guides

• Good Stewardship Brochures

Sustainability and Conservation Status of Botanical Ingredients

• CITES (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species)

• IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature ) Red List

• Naturserve

• United Plant Savers Species at Risk List

Social and Environmental Sustainability Certifications

Name of standard	Owner of the standard	Economic sustainability	Environmental sustainability	Social sustainability
Agricultural Production Standard	Fair Trade USA (FTUSA)	✓	✓	✓
Biodynamic Farm Standard	DEMETER Association Inc.		✓
EcoSocial Fair	Instituto Biodinâmico de Desenvolvimento Rural (IBD)	✓	✓	✓
Ethical BioTrade Standard	Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT)	✓	✓	✓
Fair Choice Social and Fair Trade Standard	CONTROL UNION (CU)	✓	✓	✓
Fair For Life Standard	ECOCERT SA	✓	✓	✓
Fairtrade Standard for Herbs, Herbal Teas & Spices for Small Producer Organizations and traders	Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International, e.V. (FLO)	✓		✓
Fairtrade Standard for Herbs and Herbal Teas for Hired Labour and Traders	Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International, e.V. (FLO)	✓		✓
FairTSA Consolidated standards for the production of agricultural products, processed foods, wild collected plants, and handicrafts and personal-care products	Fair Trade Sustainability Alliance (FairTSA)	✓	✓	✓
FairWild Standard	FairWild Foundation (FWF)	✓	✓	✓
National Standard for Organic Production	United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)		✓
Non-GMO Project Standard	Non-GMO Project		✓
Regenerative Organic Certification Standard	Regenerative Organic Alliance	✓	✓	✓
Sustainable Agriculture Standard	Rainforest Alliance and UTZ		✓
UEBT-UTZ Sustainable Herbal Tea Standards	UEBT and UTZ	✓	✓	✓

Note: Where wild collection of botanicals is concerned, the only sustainability standard specifically designed for sustainable wild collection is the FairWild Standard. However, other standards make reference to and/or have adapted or incorporated parts of the FairWild Standard into their own standards, in particular the Fair Trade USA Agriculture Production Standard and the ECOCERT Fair For Life Standard. 

Sustainability Tool Kits

• Sustainable Herbs Program Tool Kit