Where possible, we have incorporated existing certification schemes into the requirements that cafes must meet to be awarded a badge.   Certification aims to provide assurances on how a particular product has been produced.  The best certification schemes are those which are based upon reputable, relevant and publicly available standards, and involve regular assessments by an independent auditor.

Certification is particularly relevant to three of our nine badges - organic, fairtrade and free range.

In New Zealand, there are four organic certifying bodies:  

BioGro, Demeter, AsureQuality, Organic Farm New Zealand (OFNZ) 

All of these bodies require the products they certify to meet agreed international standards and involve independent audits.   

Products carrying the certified fairtrade label must meet standards set by the international certification body Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO).  A separate international certification company (FLO-Cert) regularly inspects and certifies producers against these standards, and audits the flow of goods between producers and importers in the countries where the International Fairtrade Certification Label is available, including New Zealand.

Unfortunately, there are no legal standards which govern what can be called 'free range' in New Zealand.  The Animal Welfare (Layer Hens) Code of Welfare 2005 sets a series of minimum and best practice guidelines to ensure that the hens aren't suffering.  However, without independent auditing, retailers and consumers just have to trust producers to meet these minimum standards.  If you're unsure, you should ask.