Pronatur Pilots New Carbon Footprint Service with Preferred by Nature

Pronatur SAC, a Peruvian coffee cooperative, has completed the first pilot of a new Carbon Footprint Certification service developed by Preferred by Nature (PbN). The pilot tested a streamlined process aimed at helping farms and land managers measure and communicate the greenhouse gas emissions linked to their products.

The pilot is part of a broader effort by PbN to expand its carbon services, with a focus on making footprint assessments more practical and affordable for agricultural producers. The new add-on service is designed to integrate with existing sustainability audits, such as those under the Rainforest Alliance or Preferred by Nature Certification systems.

“We want to make the process as easy and accessible as possible for farmers,” said Pablo Rodríguez-Noriega, Climate and Restoration Programme Manager at Preferred by Nature. “That’s why we’re offering this as an add-on to existing sustainability audits, so that producers can assess their climate impact without taking on a completely separate process.”

“Because our auditors are already visiting the farms to check sustainable practices, they can also verify the carbon data in the field. It’s a cost-effective way to ensure that the footprint figure is backed by solid, verifiable information.”

Pablo Rodríguez-Noriega

Climate and Restoration Programme Manager, Preferred by Nature

 

A central feature of the service is a user-friendly carbon calculator tool developed by the Cool Farm Alliance. Farmers input data on inputs such as fertiliser, energy use, and production volumes, and the tool calculates the product’s carbon footprint. A PbN expert supports the farmers in the use of the tool.

“Because our auditors are already visiting the farms to check sustainable practices, they can also verify the carbon data in the field,” Rodríguez-Noriega explained. “It’s a cost-effective way to ensure that the footprint figure is backed by solid, verifiable information.”

Reducing Carbon Footprint

In a first step, a PbN auditor expert in land use verifies, in the field, the activity data. Once the field data is reviewed, a PbN carbon expert checks the calculations and confirms the final carbon footprint result.

“After the field checks, our technical team reviews the results for accuracy,” Rodríguez-Noriega said. “If everything checks out, we can confidently confirm the footprint figure and provide assurance to buyers and partners.”

For Pronatur, the pilot offered an opportunity to understand and reduce emissions along the coffee supply chain.

“We needed to understand and quantify our environmental impact across the entire coffee value chain,” said Bruno García of Pronatur SAC. “Responding to market demands for transparency and sustainability allowed us to identify critical emission points to mitigate, optimise processes, reduce costs, and consolidate our leadership as the first company in the sector to measure its carbon footprint comprehensively.” García said PbN was a logical partner for the project.

“We chose PbN because of their experience and accreditation in Rainforest Alliance certification,” he said. “They have a long history in the sector and a solid commercial relationship with us.”
 

Carbon data, a key indicator

The pilot also served to test a revised version of PbN’s Carbon Footprint Certification standard, focused on credible footprint measurement and communication at the product and farm level.

“The current market demands carbon data as a key indicator of sustainability,” García added. “By managing and reducing our footprint, we reaffirm our commitment to climate action and meet the expectations of commercial partners who prioritise responsible products and supply chains.”
 

More pilots underway

PbN is using insights from the Pronatur pilot to refine the process before rolling the service out more broadly. Additional pilots are currently underway in India and the Philippines.

For more information about PbN’s Carbon Footprint Certification:

www.preferredbynature.org/certification/carbon-footprint-certification