Rainforest Alliance - Replacing Legacy Systems with Scalable Software
Three business-critical systems. One global NGO. Best Byte guided Rainforest Alliance from legacy software to a future-proof stack, cutting operating costs by up to 70%.
Legacy Modernisation
System Integration
Implementation & Adoption
Summary
A global NGO operating across 70 countries needed to replace three ageing, custom-built systems with scalable off-the-shelf solutions. Best Byte guided the full journey from discovery to implementation, delivering up to 70% cost savings and technology that finally matches the scale of their mission.
3 minutes
Overview
By bringing diverse allies together Rainforest Alliance is making a deep-rooted change on some of our most pressing social and environmental issues. Together, they amplify the voices of farmers and forest communities, improve livelihoods, protect biodiversity, and help people mitigate and adapt to climate change in bold and effective ways. The Rainforest Alliance was founded in 1987 and is a global organisation with over 1000 employees across 70 countries.
The Rainforest Alliance is the most well-known for their little green frog on the packaging of hundreds of thousands of products across the world. This is the symbol for their Certification Program, the set of standards and principles that enable the Rainforest Alliance to carry out their vision and mission.
Key stats: 7.5 million+ farmers & workers on certified farms and 5.7 million+ hectares of farmland certified globally · 7,600 companies sourcing across 170 countries · 109 projects across 62 countries
Problem
Over the years, the Rainforest Alliance invested heavily in bespoke, custom-built software. While these systems once met their needs, they became expensive to maintain, slow to adapt, and difficult to scale.
To support their mission, the Rainforest Alliance set a new technology strategy: move away from custom builds, adopt innovative scalable off-the-shelf solutions, and ensure business-critical units could operate with agility. Three key applications were identified for replacement: Ticketing and Customer Support, Certification Management, and Trademark Approval.
Strategy
Best Byte guided Rainforest Alliance through our five-step process from discovery to vendor evaluation, but where the difference was made was in the roll-out and implementation. We didn't just hand them a list of tools. We worked alongside their team to design the application and infrastructure setup so new tools fit seamlessly into their global landscape, configure and implement the chosen platforms with a focus on scalability and long-term usability, and support adoption by assisting internal teams with onboarding, training, and workflows.
The goal was to ensure the tools weren't just deployed but used effectively.
Results
By investing in a strong digital foundation and prioritising implementation, Rainforest Alliance achieved significant results.
Yearly operating costs for the Trademark Approval application were reduced by 70%, while gaining scalability through a no-code solution. For the Certification Management platform, a projected 50% cost reduction in year 2 rising to 70% in year 3. A new ticketing system was built on an industry-leading platform, improving both scalability and expert knowledge. Beyond the numbers, the organisation gained clarity, resilience, and the ability to scale its impact without being slowed down by technology.
Key Takeaways
This case shows the power of not just evaluating software, but implementing it the right way. Rainforest Alliance now has a future-proof technology stack that supports its mission and frees its teams to focus on what matters most: building a better future for people and nature.
