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This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes policy measures used by Costa Rica, Gabon, Indonesia, Peru, and Rwanda to combat deforestation and explores how voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) can complement these government efforts.

This policy brief summarizes a March 24, 2021 webinar regarding the use of international trade policy, specifically voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) and free trade agreement provisions, to reduce deforestation and preserve forest ecosystems.

This commentary by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) criticizes Cadbury's decision to replace Fairtrade International certification with an in-house sustainability standard for its cocoa sourcing. The author argues that this shift reduces public oversight, increases transaction costs for producers, and undermines the participatory governance and market credibility provided by independent international standards.

This policy brief explores how voluntary sustainability standards in agriculture can be optimized to protect biodiversity. It highlights that while these standards can improve yields and reduce environmental impacts, their effectiveness is currently limited by non-public data, market-driven adoption that ignores high-need areas, and a lack of standardized credibility rules. The document urges policy-makers to provide incentives, fund crop-specific research, and establish evidence-based ground rules to ensure market claims lead to actual biodiversity gains.

The report 'The State of Sustainable Markets: Statistics and Emerging Trends 2015' provides a comprehensive data snapshot of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) across nine commodity sectors: bananas, cocoa, coffee, cotton, palm oil, soybeans, cane sugar, tea, and forestry. Produced by the International Trade Centre (ITC), the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the document tracks growth in certified areas and production volumes, highlighting the rapid expansion of sustainable markets and the challenges of data consistency and multiple certification.