Public Policy

The SCI provides an effective vehicle to link the efforts of voluntary sustainability initiatives (VSI's) and relevant policy processes. Through a core set of projects and initiatives, the SCI is well positioned to provide critical and timely information that feeds into policy processes that support the development of sustainable commodity production and trade worldwide.

Since voluntary standards and supply chain initiatives offer new opportunities for building sustainable production and trade, the SCI views public policy interaction as a top priority. With a framework for implementing, monitoring and managing sustainable practice along supply chains, standards-based initiatives have the potential to impact on the public good significantly.

In some cases for example, public policy may have a role to play in creating a level playing field or providing market incentives for preferred practices. In other cases, public policy may seek to ensure good governance or market access over the course of initiative implementation and uptake.

As sustainability initiatives become increasingly integrated within mainstream supply chains, policy-makers are increasingly interested in exploring ways to promote best practices and maximize results. The manjority of public policy-makers now hold a particular interest in ensuring that such initiatives maximize their positive sustainable development impact.

Public Policy Projects
Sustainable Coffee Partnership: A multi-stakeholder platform, the Sustainable Coffee Partnership (SCP) brings together major institutions in the coffee sector to develop and implement a global strategy for sustainability within the coffee sector. SCP activities focus on the intersection between public policy and voluntary initiatives in the coffee sector and have concentrated on motivating change and uptake among policy-makers within the International Coffee Organization.

China and Global Markets Project: A SECO funded research program implemented with the Chinese Ministry of Trade (MOFCOM), the China and Global Markets Project is aimed at providing policy recommendations based on the environmental impacts of forest, cotton and electronics supply chains linked to Chinese import and export. The China and Global Markets Project applies the IISD-developed ‘Global Commodity Chain Sustainability Analysis' to determine appropriate policy interventions at the domestic and international levels in three product chains of major importance to the Chinese economy (cotton, forestry and e-products).

For more information on this project visit the IISD's website:
http://www.iisd.org/trade/china/markets.asp

Sustainable Commodity Evidence Base: A DEFRA funded research program, the Sustainable Commodity Evidence Base project was implemented in collaboration with Scott Wilson, WWF and GFN, aimed at providing policy recommendations based on the environmental impacts of fish meal, palm oil, soy, sugar, shrimp, forest supply chains linked to UK consumption.

For more information on this project visit the IISD's website:
http://www.iisd.org/markets/policy/consumption.asp