unfss

About UNFSS

The United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS) is a joint initiative of 5 UN Agencies (FAO, ITC, UNCTAD, UN Environment and UNIDO) that seeks to address these challenges. It is a demand-driven forum for intergovernmental actors to communicate among each other and engage with key target groups (producers, traders, consumers, standard-setters, certification-bodies, trade diplomats, relevant NGOs and researchers) to address their information needs and influence concerned stakeholders. It aims to provide impartial information, analysis, and discussions on VSS and their potential contribution to facilitate market access, strengthen public goods and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Most importantly, the UNFSS focuses on potential trade or development obstacles VSS may create, with particular emphasis on their impact on SMEs and less developed countries.

unfss update december 2012

UNFSS Update December 2012

The Forum has received strong interest, and we have continued to present the UNFSS in a number of events.  Most recently at : the International Conference on Sustainable Business and Consumption in Bonn, Nov. 27-28 (http://www.suscon.net/), UNCTAD’s Trade and Development Board Geneva, Sept. 24th (http://unctad.org/en/pages/MeetingDetails.aspx?meetingid=69), the OECD Joint Working Group on Trade and Environment Experts (Paris, Dec. 10-11th), the WTO TBT Committee (Geneva, Nov. 11-13th), and the GIZ cocoa supply chain technical board meeting in (Amsterdam, Nov. 28-29th, giz.de/themen/en/33272.htm) We are also organizing a series of

1st AP Meeting Summary

  The first in-person meeting of the Advisory Panel of the United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS) focused on developing recommendations on what issues related to Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) and what specific activities the UNFSS should undertake.  The meeting built on a consultation document, distributed prior to the meeting, which recommended key cluster areas of work and possible concrete tools and activities to implement.  These recommendations were the result of the UNFSS’s Steering Committee work, two UNFSS briefing sessions and bi-lateral