Analysis and Insights

October 2020

Do coffee sustainability standards need to rethink their operating model?

Over the last five years, I have been leading a research project in Indonesia examining the livelihood and…

Jeffrey Neilson, Associate Professor of Economic Geography, University of Sydney

October 2020

An evaluation of the sustainable quality program in Colombia coffee

Linking farmers into high-end global value chains typically requires product quality upgrading. Quality upgrading, however, can be difficult in agricultural chains…

Rocco Macchiavello, Associate Professor of Management, London School of Economics

October 2020

Five challenges for coffee company sustainability programmes

The production, processing and marketing of coffee is experiencing rapid changes. Coffee appears to be a very dynamic sector, with frequent…

Ruerd Ruben, Fédes van Rijn, Tinka Koster & Yuca Waarts, Wageningen University and Research

October 2020

How effective is private regulation in incentivizing more sustainable production practices in the coffee sector?

The coffee sector is a recognized frontrunner in the emergence and proliferation of private standards that aim…

Janina Grabs, Postdoctoral Researcher at ETH, Zurich.

October 2020

Sustainability strategies by companies in the global coffee sector

The coffee sector is facing several sustainability challenges, yet most companies do very little to address sustainability. Like millions of people across…

Simon Bager, Earth and Life Institute at the University of Louvain

October 2020

Upscaling VSS: a double-edged sword?

The previous blog discussed ways for governments to upscale the adoption of VSS through public procurement and trade policy. In this blog, we…

Dr. Axel Marx, Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies and Mr. Santiago Fernandez de Cordoba, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

September 2020

Addressing agrochemical and antibiotic use: impacts of market-based sustainability tools

Agrochemicals (fertilizers and pesticides) and antibiotics play a critical role in the agriculture,…

Deanna Newsom and Talia Sechley, Evidensia

September 2020

Lessons from the field: how farmer motivation and property characteristics impact commodity-linked deforestation

In the past decades, many companies have made commitments…

Robyn Paulekas, Senior Mediator and Program Manager at the Meridian Institute

September 2020

Upscaling the use of VSS through Sustainable Public Procurement and Trade Policy

Our previous blog raised the question of how to upscale the use and adoption of voluntary sustainability…

Dr. Axel Marx, Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies and Mr. Santiago Fernandez de Cordoba, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

September 2020

The trade impact of voluntary sustainability standards: theoretical vs empirical evidence

Global value chains (GVCs) have become a dominant aspect of international trade, comprising…

Niematallah E.A. Elamin and Santiago Fernandez de Cordoba, Trade Analysis Branch, Division on International Trade and Commodities, UNCTAD

September 2020

New UN report puts forth robust agenda to increase the uptake of sustainability standards in the wake of COVID-19

In September 2015, the United Nations Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda…

Dr. Axel Marx, Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies and Mr. Santiago Fernandez de Cordoba, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

August 2020

Scaling up sustainable solutions

Scaling up existing, small solutions which already create new economic opportunities and governance structures is an essential path…

Eric Lambin, Jim Leape, Hajim Kim and Kai Lee, Woods Institute for the Environment and Centre for Ocean Solutions at Stanford University.