Promoting the application of voluntary standards
Many companies in Europe are involved in global sourcing of their products that very often come from emerging markets and developing countries. This can enhance economic, and ideally social development in these countries. But often supply chains are complex, comprise of many stakeholders and are not always transparent. Most often only price and quality determine supplier/buyer relationships, if sustainability aspects are not part of the day to day trading relationships. Not only do companies risk their reputation when it turns out that working conditions and environmental managements on supplier farms or in factories are below international norms, consumers also are making it more and more clear that they want to consume only goods that deserve sufficient trust in sustainable production.
Voluntary standards not only for niche markets but for the mainstream market are high on the agenda for many global supply chains and essential part of sustainability initiatives involving many stakeholder on local, national and international level. The promotion of voluntary standards requires cross-sector cooperation and the commitment to sustainability from all actors in the supply chain.
The CLI has developed a special competence in the research and evaluation of standard initiatives, capacity building for cross-sector cooperation in standard development, and process support for cross sector initiatives in this area.
For further information, please contact germany (at) collectiveleadership.com.
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