The Systemic Impacts of Voluntary Sustainability Standards - A White Paper
Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) are known to have a positive impact in areas where certified entities operate but VSS can also influence the enabling environment. There is not yet a lot of evidence of these so-called systemic impacts of VSS on the enabling environment. This white paper aims to contribute to this evidence gap as well as provide a working definition for the concept of systemic impacts.
This briefing demonstrates that standards are achieving systemic impacts that go beyond the direct effects on certified operations and in supply chains. Systemic impacts can address the root causes of unsustainable practices, including capacities, policies, institutions and stakeholder relationships. Changes in the enabling environment can take time to realize, but have the potential to improve the performance of many more operations than standards and certification currently reach.
