Komives, Kristin

Introduction to Voluntary Sustainability Standards

Private, voluntary sustainability standards are an innovative, market-based approach to promoting sustainable production and business practices. Adoption of these sustainability standards is intended to be voluntary: The standards are not created, run, or required by governments or government regulation. Instead, the system for voluntary sustainability standards are nongovernment initiatives that seek to drive sustainable production and consumption by creating a market demand for sustainable products, and a supply to meet that demand. They help buyers (both consumers and businesses) identify sustainably-produced products, and they guide producers, forest managers, mine and tourism operators, and factory owners and others in their choice of sustainable practices.  more[...]