| A key meeting on July 1-2 on sustainability standards | | | | in fisheries, the Fairtrade Mark in ethical trade and |
| highlighted the need for more coordination between | | | | IFOAM recognized standards in the organic markets. |
| the various and often overlapping standards and | | | | He noted that the mechanisms and organisations that |
| labels available in the market place. The meeting was | | | | have developed the sustainability standards thus far |
| organized by FEX Geneva and the International Trade | | | | would be very different from what is needed to |
| Center and held in the offices of the WMO in | | | | achieve the three to five fold growth in uptake |
| Geneva. Another theme voiced by users of | | | | hoped for in the next decade. He cited more |
| standards in emerging markets was the need to | | | | business-orientated operational models for the |
| consult these users during standards development | | | | standards bodies and the need, like in any global |
| and make them simpler. Present at the meeting were | | | | business, to adopt a strong marketing and brand |
| the heads of some of the world's key sustainability | | | | building approach. He cited the example of FSC in |
| standards such as Fairtrade, Fair Labour Association, | | | | forestry, which now has an uptake in excess of |
| UTZ Certified the Marine Stewardship Council and | | | | 20,000 producers, as an example of how a small |
| food safety standard the Global Gap. | | | | organization built a global standards brand through the |
| Big Room's database of sustainability standards lists | | | | use of partners and affiliates to help spread the |
| almost 400 standards, labels and industry initiatives | | | | word. He also cited the need to adopt a truly global |
| related to environmental, social, organic and | | | | approach - many of FSC's staff are now based in |
| product-safety issues. For the producers, consumers | | | | China - and avoid the "old-style" model of a European |
| and business buyers alike, this represents an | | | | or US based organisation-making decisions via a |
| unnecessary complexity in the market place on issues | | | | centrally controlled office far from the customers |
| that are often new and emerging. The head of | | | | who are increasing producers in emerging markets. |
| Fairtrade International, Rob Cameron, noted the | | | | Fairtrade's Cameron noted that his organisation's |
| difficulties in getting quick cooperation and agreement | | | | standard is one of the few that developed not as a |
| among the various standards-bodies due to the fact | | | | result of pressure in developed markets (e.g. illegal |
| that the standards themselves developed in a myriad | | | | timber, dolphin friendly fisheries, organic markets), but |
| of methods and from a diverse range of | | | | rather as a result of emerging market producers |
| organisations. He cited cost and time constraint | | | | demanding more equitable trading conditions. Thus he |
| barriers hindering more harmonisation, but also, | | | | notes Fairtrade inherently captures in its make-up far |
| importantly, politics within and amongst the standards | | | | more of the needs of the actual customers of the |
| making bodies, many of whom are small non-profit | | | | standards. |
| groups without well developed management | | | | Organisations and tools to assist the users and |
| structures. | | | | holders of sustainability standards are emerging. To |
| Emerging market representatives cited the need for | | | | help guide users, a new database of standards was |
| simpler standards and less cost in implementation. | | | | announced at the conference, produced by Canadian |
| They also cited the need for cross recognition by as | | | | firm Big Room. UNCTAD's Sustainable Commodities |
| many legitimate standards as possible to reduce the | | | | Initiative assists the standards-making world in |
| need to certify to different standards for different | | | | creating norms affecting global trade in commodities, |
| markets. All participants agreed that sustainability | | | | while the ISEAL Alliance counts among its members |
| standards need to raise their level of uptake from a | | | | the leading global standards, FSC, Fairtrade, IFOAM, |
| current estimate of 3% of global trade to several | | | | Global GAP and MSC and is creating a framework for |
| times that level in the next decade. This would have | | | | what constitutes a legitimate global sustainability |
| the impact of raising market awareness of the issues | | | | standard. All of these groups are in the early stages |
| and lowering the cost of obtaining certification due to | | | | of collaborating with a view to producing the world's |
| economies of scale. | | | | definitive information and knowledge resource on |
| Former FSC head Heiko Liedeker noted that the last | | | | sustainability standards in an attempt to clarify the |
| few years have seen some clear leaders emerge in | | | | what, how, which of this world. |
| global sustainability standards - FSC in forestry, MSC | | | | |