NEPCon and RACert (the certification division of the Rainforest Alliance) have announced their intention to merge later this year. The transaction is subject to agreement on final terms, which the parties expect to finalise later this year.
The combined organisation, which will operate under the name of NEPCon, will continue to offer services that both NEPCon and RA-Cert have been delivering in forestry, agriculture, responsible sourcing, biomass, carbon footprinting, and tourism.
“NEPCon and RA-Cert share similar values, including a commitment to credibility at the heart of our services. We already have closely aligned management structures, systems and working procedures, as well as long-standing trust across the two organisations,” said Peter Feilberg, executive director of NEPCon. “RA-Cert complements our existing capacities and geographical areas, and we are excited to have the RA-Cert team join NEPCon."
NEPCon and RACert have been working together for two decades. The RA-Cert/NEPCon union will have over 200 staff and a wide network of consultants working worldwide, delivering services on six continents. The union will create expanded reach and scale that will enable NEPCon to better drive impact and reach its mission, it said in a press release.
"The current RA-Cert and NEPCon geographies and services are complementary to each other, and together will drive greater reach and impact,” added Feilberg.
Rainforest Alliance CEO Han de Groot said, "The acquisition of the RA-Cert program by NEPCon is the right solution to maintain the credibility and independence of the RA-Cert certification and auditing services. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with NEPCon in a variety of areas in the future.”
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