Why Sustainability Standards?
Sustainability standards have evolved from a mere buzzword into a pillar of global trade. They promote ethical business conduct, prepare businesses for mandatory regulations, foster harmonization and drive innovation. These standards serve as frameworks upon which we can build an environmentally conscious, socially responsible global economy.
In an era marked by environmental crises and climate change, consumers, investors and businesses are inclined towards more sustainable production.
Sustainability standards offer companies a framework to make their operations sustainable. They also serve as a signal to consumers, demonstrating a company’s commitment to ethical practices, enhancing its reputation and marketability.
National governments, regional and international institutions are developing stricter regulations to address sustainability concerns. Sustainability standards are a way to comply with these rapidly emerging regulatory requirements. Businesses gain valuable insights into sustainable practices, making it easier for them to comply with future regulations. This proactive approach prepares companies for the evolving legal landscape, ensuring they stay ahead of the regulatory curve.
This annual update on sustainable markets is crucial to understand the dynamic landscape of sustainability standards and their impact on global trade. It shares the 2021 data on area, production volume and producers for 14 major standard-setting organizations and focuses on forestry and eight agricultural products: bananas, cocoa, coffee, cotton, oil palm, soy, sugarcane and tea.
The data provide insights into the current state of these markets, and shed light on the progress and challenges of key standard-setters, as they promote sustainability. Policymakers, businesses and consumers can use this multimedia report to inform their decisions on sustainable and ethical trade practices.
Trends come and go, in sustainable development as in other domains. One relative certitude, however, is that sustainability standards are here to stay.
Our goals:
Make relevant data accessible to analysts, researchers, policymakers and industry professionals
Raise awareness of sustainability-related issues
Encourage collaboration on a common platform
Promote transparency by collecting and presenting a wide range
of harmonized data
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