Objectives and challenges of the United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards - the emerging Intergovernmental Forum of Dialogue on Voluntary Sustainability Standards a joint initiative of FAO ITC

摘要

The health, social, economic and environmental impacts of production and consumption play an increasingly important role in shaping consumer preferences, particularly in developed countries. Governments have reacted by implementing policies and regulations relating mostly to product characteristics, while non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private companies are developing voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) to inform consumers about production and processing methods. These standards havealso become increasingly important tools that govern and shape international supply chains, and that ease or complicate access to and penetration of foreign markets, as well as possibly contributing to the achievement of sustainable development objectives.