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Institutional Design of Voluntary Sustainability Standards Systems: Evidence from a New Database

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  • Fiorini, Matteo
  • Solleder, Olga
  • Jansen, Marion
  • Schleifer, Philip
  • Taimasova, Regina
  • Wozniak, Joseph

Abstract

Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) have become a common attribute of international production and trade. Even though VSS are not mandatory (required by law), in practice they often are necessary for producers to participate in global value chains. This paper uses a new international database to shed light on specific institutional dimensions of VSS systems that directly impact on the costs of compliance borne by producers and identifies a number VSS-specific features that are associated with the “producer-friendliness†of different VSS systems. These include membership in meta-standard organizations and stakeholder engagement in VSS decision-making.

Suggested Citation

  • Fiorini, Matteo & Solleder, Olga & Jansen, Marion & Schleifer, Philip & Taimasova, Regina & Wozniak, Joseph, 2017. "Institutional Design of Voluntary Sustainability Standards Systems: Evidence from a New Database," CEPR Discussion Papers 12204, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:12204
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    2. Schleifer, Philip & Fiorini, Matteo & Fransen, Luc, 2019. "Missing the Bigger Picture: A Population-level Analysis of Transnational Private Governance Organizations Active in the Global South," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1-1.
    3. Norma Schönherr, 2022. "Same Same but Different? A Quantitative Exploration of Voluntary Sustainability Standards in Agriculture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-18, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Voluntary standards; Sustainability; Smes; Certification;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • L15 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Information and Product Quality
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development

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