Design, Implementation, and Impact of Voluntary Sustainability Standards in Global Food and Fiber Systems (VSS4Food&Fiber)

The project aims to deepen our understanding of the design, implementation, and impact of voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) as trade-related sustainability tool in tropical commodity sectors. By addressing key evidence gaps and integrating data, methods, and perspectives from applied economics, agricultural sciences, and governance studies, the project generates comprehensive evidence across VSS, sectors, and countries. The project combines large databases and advanced empirical methods in VSS-, country-, and district-level analyses, focusing on 8 commodities—coffee, cocoa, tea, palm oil, soybean, banana, sugarcane, and cotton—and 12 VSS. A first work package (WP1) develops a conceptual framework based on VSS theories of change, governance studies, and social-ecological systems thinking. WP2 examines VSS design and implementation: fine-tuning and extending VSS substantive and procedural stringency scores for 12 VSS, and developing a novel characterization of VSS operationalization in certification schemes for 6 VSS in 3 sectors and 4 countries. WP3 analyzes sustainability impacts at country level, focusing on economic, environmental, and social dimensions, and using a sample of over 130 countries and 10 years of observation. This includes analyzing VSS impact on trade, deforestation, and child labor. WP4 analyzes sustainability impacts at district level for 4 countries, focusing on productivity, agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, farm income, and poverty. WP5 explores how VSS design and implementation shape sustainability outcomes by integrating substantive and procedural stringency scores, and operational characteristics into country- and district-level analyses. Findings will help identify effective VSS practices (WP6). Various VSS stakeholder groups engage in the project by providing information and feedback, by translating research findings to concrete policy and practice recommendations, and by supporting dissemination and use of project outputs.