Transparency and Innovation of Sustainability Standards (TISS) Phase I

The system of private sustainability standards is at a critical juncture. A strong trend toward sustainable consumption has led to a marked increase of certified products over the past 20 years with a market uptake of 20-30% in certain sectors. Along with its success, these standards are however confronted with critics questioning the transparency, impacts and costs of certifications. There is thus increasing pressure to lowering both costs and entry-barriers to improve the business case particularly for smallholders. Besides, there is also demand for more credible, rigorous and ambitious standards leapfrogging the discussions on the new Sustainable Development Goals.

At impact level, the TISS programme aims at the scaling-up of sustainability impacts. Given the transversal nature of sustainability standards providing a reference scheme for many value chains particularly in agriculture, forestry and fishery, the expected impacts are widely spread along the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): # 2 (sustainable agriculture and food security), #8 (sustainable economic growth and decent work), #12 (sustainable consumption and production) and # 15 (sustainable ecosystems).

The ITC component on transparency seeks to enable the effective use of the information provided on Standardsmap and related platforms regarding the content, requirements, costs and impacts of standards in key global value chains. As a result, users of standards will make better-informed decisions leading to improved international competitiveness in terms of reduced trade costs and enhanced market access.

The ISEAL component on innovation shall contribute an increased market uptake of VSS in key global value chains such as cocoa, coffee, cotton, tea, timber, fishery, palm oil, soy, spices, biotrade products, tropical fruits and vegetables, textiles and tourism. In addition, innovation shall lead to an improved efficiency of standards systems in terms of cost and time saving, which are perceived as critical factors to reach out to smallholders.

Principaux résultats attendus:  

Expansion of ITC’s global database on sustainability standards (from 200 to 325 standards) published on the online platform Standardsmap.

Strengthening ITC as global repository of market data from sustainability standards in cooperation with FIBL.

ITC training of producers and other practitioners in five SECO priority countries: Peru, Colombia, Ghana, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Strengthened cooperation of ITC with the Swiss Consumer portal ‘Labelinfo’ and the Swiss platform ‘Kompass Nachhaltigkeit’, both managed by the NGO Pusch.

Enhanced integration of ITC’s online tools and platforms (e.g. Standards Map and SustainabilityXchange focused on capacity building).

Coordination and facilitation of innovative pilot projects (target 24 small and 7 large projects) through ISEAL in the areas of redesigning standards, redesigning assurance and capacity building measures to small producers.

Creation of forums and partnerships through ISEAL between and beyond standards in the scope of the Innovation Agenda.

Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

In the past SECO has taken over a key donor role in the setting-up and consolidation of private certification schemes both in niche markets with consumer oriented labels like fair trade and organic and in mainstream segments with business-to-business standards for commodity sectors such as coffee soy, cotton or biofuels. Drawing from various evaluations made over the past years, the main achievements can be summarized as follows:

1) Improved transparency: Through tools such as ‘Standards Map’ with accessible and reliable information on over 200 standards, in-depth impacts assessments done through ‘COSA’ and comprehensive market reports through the State of Sustainability Standards, practitioners are currently much better prepared to take informed decisions on the use of standards.

2) Market uptake: SECO supported standards are mostly well positioned in the market as a result of multi-stakeholder processes that led to important levels of trust within the sectors.

3) Credibility: The role of ISEAL (and its mission) to ensure the credibility of standards systems based on continuous improvement and harmonization among members has been strengthened.

Phase 1 01.08.2016 - 31.07.2022   (Completed)