The Certification Program
Guidelines and criteria for evaluating sustainability and compliance
About the INC Certification
The INC Certification Program provides a unified and credible framework for promoting sustainable production across the nut and dried fruit industry. Developed in line with international guidelines, industry best practices, and expert collaboration, the program establishes clear certification standards for three key operator categories: growers, processors and manufacturers, and global trade specialists. By adopting these standards, companies demonstrate a genuine commitment to sustainability, reinforcing the integrity, credibility, and responsible growth of the sector. To ensure impartiality, all certifications are verified by independent, authorized auditing bodies, and certified participants earn the right to display the official INC trademark—a globally recognized symbol of sustainability and market leadership. Through this business-to-business (B2B) framework, the INC empowers organizations to integrate sustainable practices, strengthen market visibility, enhance brand reputation, and build resilient value chains—essential advantages in today’s sustainability-driven global marketplace.
Why Get Certified?
The INC Certification is the first certification designed exclusively for the global nut and dried fruit industry, tailored to the unique challenges and characteristics of the industry. It opens doors to new markets, strengthens global partnerships, and validates your sustainability efforts with a streamlined process, positioning your business as a leader in sustainability. Certified participants also earn the right to display the official INC Certification trademark—a globally recognized symbol of sustainability and market leadership.
About the INC Certification
Certification Requirements
The INC Certification Program provides a unified and credible framework for promoting sustainable production across the nut and dried fruit industry. Developed in line with international guidelines, industry best practices, and expert collaboration, the program establishes clear certification standards for three key operator categories: growers, processors and manufacturers, and global trade specialists.
By adopting these standards, companies demonstrate a genuine commitment to sustainability, reinforcing the integrity, credibility, and responsible growth of the sector.
To ensure impartiality, all certifications are verified by independent, authorized auditing bodies, and certified participants earn the right to display the official INC trademark—a globally recognized symbol of sustainability and market leadership.
Through this business-to-business (B2B) framework, the INC empowers organizations to integrate sustainable practices, strengthen market visibility, enhance brand reputation, and build resilient value chains—essential advantages in today’s sustainability-driven global marketplace.
To qualify for certification, the Company must be an INC Member and have its main activity as Grower, Processor, Manufacturer, or Global Trade Specialist. An independent third-party certifying entity will audit the Company’s practices based on the selected Standards, and grant a final score. Based on the achieved score, the INC will award the Company with a Certificate of one, two, or three stars. Certified participants earn the right to display the official INC Certification trademark.
Certain criteria within the Standards are classified as mandatory and must be met to qualify for certification, regardless of the total points achieved. In addition, a minimum score is required in each category so as to ensure a broad coverage of fundamental sustainability pillars. Failure to meet this minimum will result in disqualification, even if the overall score meets the standard.
Furthermore, the INC recognizes other third-party certifications that cover with sufficient deepness some of the criteria and are third-party validated. When a company possesses a recognized certification, it is considered to have met all corresponding criteria in that category. Recognized third-party certifications are specifically indicated for Standard.
Application and Evaluation Process
Interested companies may apply for certification through any of the INC’s official communication channels, including the INC Sustainability Institute website. The INC will review the applicant’s suitability and if approved, further information and an official agreement will be provided.
Upon agreement, the INC will notify an authorized Certifying Body to coordinate directly with the applicant the audit date and time.
For applicants with multiple farms or facilities, a representative subset will be inspected, as it is common practice in certification programs. The evaluation will combining on-site inspections and remote audits. Assessments may include field inspections, document reviews, and, where necessary, access to the applicant’s confidential information.
Information obtained will be handled with strict confidentially.
Certification Requirements
To qualify for certification, the Company must be an INC Member and have its main activity as Grower, Processor, Manufacturer, or Global Trade Specialist. An independent third-party certifying entity will audit the Company’s practices based on the selected Standards, and grant a final score. Based on the achieved score, the INC will award the Company with a Certificate of one, two, or three stars. Certified participants earn the right to display the official INC Certification trademark—a globally recognized symbol of sustainability and market leadership.
Certain criteria within the Standards are classified as mandatory and must be met to qualify for certification, regardless of the total points achieved. In addition, a minimum score is required in each category so as to ensure a broad coverage of fundamental sustainability pillars. Failure to meet this minimum will result in disqualification, even if the overall score meets the standard.
Furthermore, the INC recognizes other third-party certifications that cover with sufficient deepness some of the criteria and are third-party validated. When a company possesses a recognized certification, it is considered to have met all corresponding criteria in that category. Recognized third-party certifications are specifically indicated for Standard.
Benefits for Certified Companies
Through a streamlined, focused approach, the Certification provides a simpler but complete assessment of the critical areas of sustainability in the nut and dried fruit industry. The Certification aims to facilitate business interactions by identifying providers that adhere to these principles, and at the same time provide resources and tools for further improvement. Certified participants earn the right to display the official INC Certification trademark—a globally recognized symbol of sustainability and market leadership, with a digital package to be used in all kinds of B2B interactions:
Packaging for B2B operations (excluding End-consumer products)
Marketing materials, both digital and printed
Websites and social media platforms
Internal and external communications, in both physical and digital formats
Application and Evaluation Process
Interested companies may apply for certification through any of the INC’s official communication channels, including the INC Sustainability Institute website. The INC will review the applicant’s suitability and if approved, further information will be provided (Certification Contract, and Audit- Service Proposal). The referred documents outline the conditions for use of the trademark, confidentiality, and associated responsibilities. Upon agreement, the INC will notify an authorized Certifying Body to coordinate directly with the applicant the audit date and time.
For applicants with multiple farms or facilities, a representative subset will be inspected, as it is common practice in certification programs. The number of locations to be audited will be determined by calculating the square root of the total number of farms/facilities, rounded up to the nearest whole number. The applicant’s “head office,” as defined by the applicant, will always be audited.
The evaluation will be conducted by a Certifying Body combining on-site inspections (in the first year) and remote audits (in the second and third years). Assessments may include field inspections, document reviews, and, where necessary, access to the applicant’s confidential information.
Information obtained will be documented in the Audit Report and handled with strict confidentially.
Growers
The Standard for Growers places a strong emphasis on environmental criteria, reflecting the significant impacts associated with this stage of production. While the standards are product-specific, most criteria are shared across them due to the similar nature of risks within the sector.
Processors & Manufacturers
Global Trade Specialists
Overview of the Standards
The Standards are built on the three pillars of sustainability: Environment, Social, and Governance. They cover multiple topics, evaluated through a specific set of questions.
Environment
Water Source
Water Use
Agricultural Inputs
Biodiversity
Social
Labor Rights
Non-Discrimination
Safety at work
Governance
Responsible Sourcing
Corporate Carbon Footprint
Achieving sustainable production is a complex and continuous learning journey that companies can embrace gradually. This is particularly evident in the wide range of agricultural practices employed by growers. To acknowledge these incremental efforts, the certification for Growers is structured into three classification levels:
CERTIFICATION
1 STAR
CERTIFICATION
2 STARS
CERTIFICATION
3 STARS
You can find in Documents all detailed information on the Standards for each product and Company type.
For more information:
Trusting Evaluators
The standard compliance of certified companies is assured through a global network of independent third-party certifying organizations, which audit all participating companies. Evaluations by these impartial bodies are essential to maintaining consumer trust and ensuring the reliability of the certification.
For the list of authorized certifying companies in each country/region, see Documents.