Governance & Policy

Voluntary Sustainability Standard (VSS)

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Definition

Voluntary sustainability standards are standards specifying requirements that producers, traders, manufacturers or service providers may be asked to meet, relating to sustainability metrics such as environmental impacts, human rights, labour and social norms — the definition of the UN Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS). The category covers certification schemes (FSC, MSC, Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, RSPO), codes of conduct and roundtable standards, now numbering in the hundreds across commodities and sectors.

References

unfss.orgBulk import source

Source imported for editorial provenance.

www.isealalliance.orgBulk import source

This reference provides supporting context for how “Voluntary Sustainability Standard (VSS)” is defined and used.

Overview

How it is used

The category structures sustainable sourcing policy, UNFSS research and dialogue, development cooperation on standards, and corporate certification portfolios.

Why it matters

VSS are how "sustainable" became contractible in global trade — the private constitution of responsible supply chains.