Stories

June 3, 2025

The 6th UNFSS Flagship Report: “The Future of Sustainable Trade: Due diligence initiatives, voluntary sustainability standards and developing countries”

As global trade evolves, so does the responsibility it carries. The latest UNCTAD report, “The Future of Sustainable Trade: Due diligence initiatives, voluntary sustainability standards and developing countries”, paints a picture of a world where sustainability is no longer optional—it’s becoming a requirement and ethical imperative. At the heart of this transformation is the rise of mandatory due diligence regulations. Countries, particularly developed ones, are enacting laws that require companies to ensure their supply chains are free from environmental harm

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December 11, 2023

Shaping Tomorrow’s Trade: Insights from the 3rd ICSTS

In a groundbreaking gathering of minds, the 3rd International Convention on Sustainable Trade and Standards (ICSTS) held in New Delhi, India, set the stage for global collaboration in the realm of sustainability standards. The convention, themed “Policy Dialogue on Sustainability Standards as a Tool for Advancing Global Sustainability Goals,” witnessed a convergence of over 400 participants from diverse sectors, shaping a vision that leverages the power of Solidarity, Support, Strength, and Synergy—dubbed the 4 S’s. At the 3rd ICSTS, these four pillars

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September 21, 2023

The EU Due Diligence Regulation on Deforestation: What Role for Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS)?

This article delves into the European Union’s new Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR) and probes the prospective role that Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) can play, potentially offering avenues for collecting information, risk evaluation, mitigation, monitoring, and assurance. The article highlights how certification processes can support enhancing supply chain transparency and mitigating supply chain vulnerabilities, ultimately aligning with the due diligence needs. Deforestation is a pressing global issue with far-reaching consequences for the environment, biodiversity, and climate change. The United Nations Food

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July 12, 2023

Unlocking the Transformative Potential of Voluntary Sustainability Standards: UNFSS National Platforms’ Network work towards Sustainable Solutions

Amid the challenges posed by the food, energy, and finance crises, its impacts on global value chains, and the upcoming regulations in the space of sustainability compliance, the UNFSS National Platform and Initiative Cooperation Network (NPICN) convened on the 05th of July 2023 to discuss implications, in particular for the developing countries. Recognizing the urgency of these crises, the meeting served as a rallying point for experts from diverse backgrounds, united in their commitment to unlock the transformative

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October 13, 2022

Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS), Sustainability Agenda, and Developing Countries: The UNFSS 5th Flagship Report

Today, when you enter a supermarket, you are surrounded by a number of products that have a variety of labels and stamps which claim different sustainability aspects. It is a common sight to find products that are certified by, for example, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, FSC, and CmiA. This proliferation of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) has raised questions about their tangible benefits. While there is a need to eliminate the noise of overlapping standards, there is also a more pertinent

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October 6, 2022

Sustainable Trade and VSS Dialogue: Understanding the role of VSS for advancing the sustainability agenda through the forthcoming UNFSS 5th Flagship Report

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently warned that the world is on brink of a “perfect storm” of crises. The global food, energy, and financial crisis has hit countries that were already reeling from the pandemic and the climate crisis and has pushed back what had been a growing convergence between developed and developing countries. The role of trade for sustainable development has gained greater momentum in addressing these challenges. Today, the concept of sustainable development through trade, standards,

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September 22, 2022

The Tools of Trade: Exploring challenges and opportunities of Voluntary Sustainability Standards in the forthcoming UNFSS 5th Flagship Report

The recently approved UNCTAD XV Bridgetown Covenant recalls that “today, many Sustainable Development Goals are behind schedule, and, despite remarkable efforts and progress, many people and places have not managed to enjoy the benefits of progress. The tools of trade, investment, technology, and finance can do more to change this reality and foster a more inclusive, sustainable, equitable and resilient world.” Voluntary Sustainability Standards are one such tools of trade that leverage sustainability criteria as a means

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UNFSS National Platforms
May 25, 2022

Local Solutions for Global Challenges: The Role of UNFSS National Platforms’ Network in maximising benefits of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS)

Everyday life has been struck by climate change effects, deepening poverty and hunger, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the crisis in Ukraine. As a result, the world is witnessing accelerating existing vulnerabilities and widening inequalities. The value of multilateralism and trade cannot be undermined in providing a sustainable recovery path, especially for the most vulnerable groups. In light of the above, the UNFSS National Platform and Initiative Cooperation Network (NPICN) met on 24th May

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May 12, 2022

No Poverty among Smallholder Farmers: Can access to Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS)-compliant markets help?

Ever since the adoption of the 2015 Sustainable Development Agenda, the global development community has worked towards achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, set forth by the United Nations. However, progress has been cut short, or even worse, reversed, due to multiple external shocks, like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia crisis. This has further alarmed the world on issues like extreme poverty, food insecurity, and an ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor. Despite multiple

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April 7, 2022

Africa prepares to mainstream Voluntary Sustainability Standards: Launch of the African Continental platform on Voluntary Sustainability Standards

On 6th April 2022, the African Organisation for standardization (ARSO), in collaboration with UNFSS, launched the African Continental platform on Voluntary Sustainability Standards. The platform will promote the development and implementation of sustainability standards, assist Small and Mid-size Enterprises (SMEs) in their implementation, and encourage the establishment of national platforms in ARSO member countries. The launch was conducted virtually and discussed the importance of an established multi-stakeholder platform for collectively assessing VSS’s impact on Africa’s sustained trade growth and sustainable development.

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