Summary
ASC with WWF Australia and Viet Nam commissioned a cost benefits analysis in May 2016 to illustrate the business value of certification through case studies of ASC certified farms in Vietnam. Due to the limitations of the research in terms of sample size, comparison groups and causality, the findings from this case study are not conclusive and should not be generalized for ASC versus non-ASC certified farms. However, there are many lessons learned from the process and results, which point to potential trends for further research in terms of reduced costs, avoided costs and realized benefits of ASC certification. The study also highlighted unintended effects (positive and negative) such as the very high bank loan interest rates for necessary investments, preferential land policies of governments for certified farms and quality of inputs. The findings, while not scientifically robust (statistically significant), enable ASC to identify focus areas for further research and provide input for internal learning.