LandScale Assessment Framework: Version 0.2

LandScale, developed by Rainforest Alliance, Verra and Conservation International, provides a standardized approach for assessing and communicating the sustainability performance of landscapes. The framework aims to enable the private sector, governments, and civil society to access reliable information that can guide and incentivize sustainability improvements at scale.

This document presents the assessment framework, which is grounded in key international norms and methods for assessing sustainability, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The framework is structured hierarchically to meet the dual needs of global consistency and local adaptability, defining core indicators, landscape-related indicators and optional indicators for ecosystems, human well-being, governance and production as the pillars of sustainability. Pillars and goals provide a holistic structure for assessing sustainability, which users can tailor to different landscapes by selecting context-appropriate indicators and performance metrics.

The Version 0.2 of the Framework has incorporated feedback received on Version 0.1 in the second half of 2019. LandScale Version 0.2 was open for public consultation until December 2020 and has been trialed in 10 landscapes around the world.