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Content archived on 2024-05-21

Sustainability labelling and certification: toward an integrated legal, economic, ecological and social aproach. (SUSTAINABILITY LABELLING)

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Sustainability case by case

Research involving an itemised record of global environmental and social designs of sustainability labelling and certification has been conducted in order to examine and analyse various case studies.

One of the main objectives involved was to form a solid framework regarding selection criteria. In so doing, the product or services concerned needed to be relevant both economically speaking as well as from the vantage point of developing countries. It was also necessary for stakeholders to consider social and environmental problems regarding labelling and/or certification agendas. Furthermore, at least one type of agenda or plan was selected for each case study. The plans they focused on for the study were verified by a third party and also on a voluntary basis. Essentially the plans were divided into two major categories: multi-sector and sector-specific. There are some fundamental differences between the two. For example multi-sector plans encompass a broad array of products and services and are grouped according to environmental, fair trade, organic and integrated production plans. Sector-specific plans on the other hand are aimed at only one product or service group. For example, they are categorised accordingly: clothing, textiles and footwear; fisheries and marine life; food and beverages and forest management, wood products and tourism. In order to be more precise, the two major categories were broken down further into sub-categories. In so doing, they examined the plans according to numerous other variables. Among these are non-governmental and governmental involvement, private and public origin, product and service coverage and geographical scope. With such a thorough analysis, a clearer awareness of sustainability labelling and certification plans is likely to be obtained.

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