Sustainable commodities

The Sustainable Commodity Initiative

High commodity prices are pushing production of many commodities including soy, palm oil and staples into contested areas. Rates of deforestation have recently jumped in response. Public policy has shown itself to be largely impotent in the face of these issues of massive land use changes. Voluntary sustainability initiatives (VSIs) have stepped into this policy vacuum. The growth of multi-stakeholder initiatives presents new opportunities for the industry to catalyse the development of a sustainable global economy. But the ability of the initiatives to deliver on this promise depends fundamentally on better information on the impacts, failures, successes, obstacles and opportunities associated with their implementation. There is insufficient cross-sectoral learning and analysis on how to build scale, effectiveness and equity into these initiatives.
 

A burning question in the field of sustainable markets is the extent to which voluntary initiatives and multi-stakeholder (often private sector-NGO) collaboration can deliver on sustainable development. Nowhere is this felt more keenly than in agrifood and timber commodities, where voluntary initiatives have mushroomed, including the sustainability ‘round tables’ for soy, palm oil and biofuels.  VSIs raise huge questions about the governance of markets and natural resources.

IIED has joined with IISD, UNCTAD and AID Environment to develop a new global initiative dedicated to improving our understanding of voluntary standards and sustainability initiatives operative in commodity markets worldwide. The State of Sustainability Initiatives, or SSI, is a reporting service that aims to significantly improve access to information on the impacts, effectiveness and scope of voluntary initiatives for sustainable commodities.

With ground breaking research and analysis, the SSI’s flagship product “The State of Sustainability Initiatives Annual Review” will provide a regular snapshot and comparison of the performance of major voluntary initiatives operating across different commodity sectors. The first edition will analyse the progress of voluntary initiatives in addressing sustainable development, and will detail market impacts in multiple commodity sectors.