Earlier we wrote about the scandalous relationship between the Rainforest Alliance and mega killer Vion: their vice president, Ton van der Laan, is also in Vion's supervisory board. Vion is far from sustainable and social, and we find it absurd that the meat company tries to make itself look good by maintaining ties with a so-called "green" and "fair" organization like Rainforest Alliance.

The Alliance itself does not share our view.

After three months of waiting, the Alliance finally came up with an answer that there is no "conflict of interest". After all: "the Rainforest Alliance does not work in the pork sector [...] We do not certify products produced by VION Food, and VION is not a Rainforest Alliance partner". They conclude, "we value the experience and perspective that Ton van der Laan brings to the board".

According to the Rainforest Alliance's Code of Conduct "a conflict of interest may exist when the interests or concerns of any member of the board of directors [...] may be seen as competing with or in conflict with the interests or concerns of the Rainforest Alliance."

What are Vion's interests? To bring more pigs into the world, to slaughter them and "process" them into "products" at the lowest possible cost. Labour costs are kept as low as possible, the workers themselves quiet and obedient. The environment? Vion is the 5th Dutch company that makes the most profit on soy from Brazil...

We thought that the interests of the Rainforest Alliance were: conservation of the rainforest, preservation of ecosystems, protection of workers' rights.

The conflicting interests with Vion seem crystal clear.

However with the answer we received, we can only conclude: the Rainforest Alliance is not "green" or "fair".

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