UNFSS

April 21, 2026

Upcoming International Conference on Voluntary and Mandatory Sustainable Value Chains Governance 

An interdisciplinary conference on Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) will take place in Leuven, Belgium, on the 27th and 28th of October 2026. The conference will provide a space for researchers and experts to reflect on the changing role of VSS, with particular attention to new challenges, adaptation and future pathways. The conference comes at a time when the global sustainability governance landscape is evolving rapidly. Recent UNFSS discussions have highlighted how voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) are increasingly interacting with new regulatory

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April 20, 2026

Welcoming New Members to the UNFSS Community

UNFSS Welcomes New Members, Strengthening Global Expertise on Sustainable Standards The United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS) has expanded its global network with the addition of new institutional and academic members, reinforcing its role as a leading intergovernmental platform on Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS). The latest developments include the accession of the International Labour Organization (ILO) to the UNFSS Steering Committee and the appointment of new experts to its Academic Advisory Council (AAC). ILO Joins UNFSS Steering Committee, Reinforcing Social Sustainability The

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May 19, 2025

The Changing Landscape of Sustainability Governance. What next for VSS? 

This article builds upon the discussions that were held at the UNFSS Academic Advisory Council meeting 2025, 31st March and 1st of April 2025, at the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) . The global sustainability governance landscape is rapidly transforming. A new global order is emerging, more fragmented in nature and shaped by regulatory approaches. New due diligence now requires businesses to ensure their supply chains do not harm people or the planet. These laws require companies to

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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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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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February 15, 2022

Voluntary Sustainability Standards for People, Planet, and Prosperity: Focus on G20

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed systemic fragilities across the globe. The pandemic has not only been a global health crisis but also has severely impacted the global economy and financial markets. The pandemic has affected people’s livelihoods, health and disrupted food systems. Significant reductions in income, rise in unemployment, and disruption in services have been common aftermath, especially in the developing countries. Fig.1 International trade plunged as the virus spread (Source:

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timelapse photo of train
December 15, 2021

Podcast feature: Voluntary sustainability standards and trade in developing countries 

Globalization has brought profound changes to international trade over the last 50 years. Value chains are now spread around the globe and are becoming more complex. Today, about US $8 trillion worth of world trade goes through Global Value Chains (GVCs), accounting for nearly 70% of the total share of global trade. According to UNCTAD’s research, majority of the developing countries are increasingly participating in GVCs. As a result, the developing-country share in global value-added trade increased from 20%

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April 30, 2020

Suppressing Post-Pandemic with Sustainable Development

Photo Credit: A general view of Long Street, usually one of the busiest and most popular entertainment areas in Cape Town, South Africa, under a billboard reading ‘Stay Home’ amid a coronavirus lockdown, on April 3, 2020. (Rodger Bosch/AFP) The United Nations have expressed concerns through its Secretary-General report regarding the reversal tendency of COVID-19 on the decade long progress in the fight against poverty. In the report, a declaration that, ‘This is much more than a

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March 13, 2018

Launch of the New UNFSS Website

The United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS) recently unveiled its newly designed website.  The newly revamped website, which was launched last month, has been optimized for easier access to information, improved functionality, and enriched content areas. The website aims to become a hub  that provides information on the potential value of voluntary standards for a more equitable, fair and sustainable development. As a public online platform, the UNFSS website intends to increase understanding stimulate the dialogue among partners, and support

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July 7, 2016

UNFSS took part at the China High Level Sustainability Standards and Certification Development Forum

Last week, representatives from United Nations agencies, Chinese and foreign government agencies, the business community, and the world’s leading sustainability standards explored in Beijing the opportunities and challenges for developing and implementing sustainability standards systems in the Chinese context. On behalf of the steering committee of the United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS), and therefore of all five UN partner organizations of UNFSS, delivered an opening remarks at the Forum. Sustainability standards have become globally recognised tools for implementing sustainable

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