Blog |
Four Ways Sustainability Standards Can Build Farmers’ Resilience to COVID-19
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been severe and far reaching. What has this meant for small-scale farmers in developing countries?
News & Articles
Blog |
From Bananas to Palm Oil: Tracking the rise and performance of voluntary sustainability standards
This blog summarizes findings from IISD's Sustainable Commodities Marketplace Series research project.
Announcements |
Report: Soybean sector slow to adopt voluntary sustainability standards
As a uniquely nutritious food source, soybeans have a significant and growing impact on the planet. Butonly a small fraction of soybean production complies with voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) thatcould address some of the sector’s critical enviro...
Blog |
Sustainable Cotton or Recycled Polyester? The conscious shopper’s dilemma
Some brands claim to be sustainable but not all of their products meet the same criteria and transparency gaps abound. How can the average consumer make the right decisions?
Announcements |
NEW REPORT: Sustainable cotton production growing quickly as market uptake expands
Ottawa, June 30, 2020 – Voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) have quickly risen to cover a sizeable portion of the world’s most popular natural fibre for textiles—cotton—representing at least 14% of global production, according to a new report from the International Institute for Sustainable...
Announcements |
Report: Banana sector ripe for more sustainability
Ottawa, May 25, 2020 – Banana producers are increasingly using voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) to tackle the sector’s sustainability challenges, including crop diseases, climate change impacts, excessive pesticide use, low farm-gate prices, and poor labour practices, according to a new ...
Blog |
Can Palm Oil Be More Sustainable?
IISD’s latest Global Market Report focuses on one of the world’s most controversial crops: palm oil.
Announcements |
Sustainably produced palm oil can curb environmental impacts, report says
Ottawa, April 28, 2020 – Environmental damage linked to palm oil production has led to consumer boycotts and import restrictions in some markets, but a new study says adhering to voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) can mitigate some of the worst environmental impacts of producing the world’...
Announcements |
New SSI report sheds light on investors’ requirements for granting finance to smallholder farmers in developing countries
Ottawa, March 27, 2020 – What are the sustainability issues financial service providers (FSPs) consider important when assessing investment requests from smallholder farmers in developing countries? The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) consulted 51 investors during the s...
Announcements |
Global sustainable sugarcane production shows significant growth: report
Ottawa, January 30, 2020 – Corporate sustainable sourcing commitments of leading food manufacturing companies are increasing demand for voluntary sustainability standard (VSS)-compliant sugar, with the sector experiencing a compound annual growth rate of about 52% from 2008 to 2016, accounting fo...