NATURLAND

With more than 53,000 members, the German Naturland is one of the largest of its kind with a focus on the certification of organic products. These must not only meet the regulations for organic farming, but also set standards for the social aspects of production, such as working conditions and workers' rights.

The company was founded in Germany in 1982 and is now considered one of the leading organisations specialising in organic farming. In addition to certifying different types of organic products, it also deals with the social aspects of cultivation and production. Its interests also include fairtrade criteria and organic aquaculture (planned water management).

Naturland's standards apply to a number of areas such as beekeeping, aquaculture, forestry, sustainable fishing, textiles, gastronomy, wood processing and social policy, as well as cosmetics. For cosmetics, the use of petroleum derivatives, synthetic perfumes, dyes, plasticizers and silicones is not allowed. Natural preservatives are permitted for preserving produce and, if there is no natural alternative, preservatives may be used up to a maximum of 5 %. However, consumer health must be guaranteed. The use of nanoparticles and synthetic UVA and UVB filters is also prohibited. More information can be found at http://www.naturland.de/.