2023-01-14-联合国贸易发展委员-国际贸易中的自愿可持续性标准（英）_53页_1mb

Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) in International Trade

Overview

Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) are increasingly important governance tools for promoting sustainable development along global value chains (GVCs). They set social, economic, and environmental requirements that producers and other economic actors can voluntarily comply with to improve the sustainability of their practices. Upon verification of compliance, VSS issue certificates or labels that can enhance market access and potentially command price premiums.

Key Findings

1. Evolution and Drivers

   • VSS proliferated significantly in the 1990s–2010s, driven by rising consumer awareness, corporate motivations, multilateral regulatory failures, and competition among VSS.
   • Growth has stagnated recently due to market consolidation, saturation in certain sectors, and increasing recognition of evolving competitiveness and data challenges.

2. Effectiveness

   • VSS generate positive but mixed impacts on sustainability, with significant contextual factors (e.g., institutional design, local governance).
   • Trade impacts are debated: VSS can either facilitate trade (e.g., market access, price premiums) or act as barriers (e.g., high compliance costs, limited market uptake), especially for smallholders in developing countries.

3. Integration with Public Policy

   • VSS are being integrated into trade agreements, public procurement, due diligence regulations (e.g., human rights impacts), and export promotion policies.
   • Evidence shows VSS linkages with broader policy goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but challenges remain in aligning public and private governance frameworks.

4. Barriers

   • High certification costs, governance gaps (differential enforcement of public vs. private standards), and sociopolitical resistance limit VSS adoption, particularly in developing countries.

SDGs and VSS

VSS align with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and other SDGs (e.g., SDG 8, SDG 2). They can complement public policies to achieve sustainability targets, but require enhancing credibility through international recognition and institutional design improvements.

Recommendations

• Strengthen institutional design to improve VSS credibility and inclusivity, particularly through multistakeholder participation.
• Address financial and technical barriers for small-scale producers, especially in developing countries.
• Enhance cooperation between VSS and public policy instruments to maximize sustainability benefits and minimize trade-offs.