Voluntary Sustainability Standards for Export Promotion

The report analyzes the integration of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) into national systems to boost sustainable exports and producer practices. It emphasizes the need for strong legal foundations, continuous support for smallholders through training and market information, and inclusive stakeholder engagement. The document argues that VSSs can facilitate market diversification and reduce overdependence on large buyers, provided that governments implement structured collaborations between industry and VSS organizations.

• Successful integration of VSSs into export promotion requires strong legal and regulatory foundations, clear mechanisms, and specific intervention strategies.
• Investment in market information, extension services, and training is necessary to lower implementation barriers; without this ongoing support, smallholders may lose their certification and access to premium markets.
• VSSs can be used to promote domestic consumption, intra-regional trade, and market diversification, which helps reduce the risk of overdependence on a small number of large buyers.

APA

Sarmiento,, S. B. (2026). Voluntary Sustainability Standards for Export Promotion. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/voluntary-sustainability-standards-export-promotion

Chicago

Sarmiento,, Steffany Bermúdez,Florencia. Voluntary Sustainability Standards for Export Promotion. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2026. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/voluntary-sustainability-standards-export-promotion.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sarmiento, |first1=Steffany Bermúdez,Florencia |title=Voluntary Sustainability Standards for Export Promotion |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=30 April 2026 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/voluntary-sustainability-standards-export-promotion |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sarmiento2026voluntary, author = {Sarmiento,, Steffany Bermúdez,Florencia}, title = {{Voluntary Sustainability Standards for Export Promotion}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2026}, month = apr, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/voluntary-sustainability-standards-export-promotion}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }