Voluntary Standard Systems

Voluntary Standard Systems PDF Author: Carsten Schmitz-Hoffmann
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3642357164
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 458

Book Description
Emerging to the forefront of sustainable production and consumption are a promising and rapidly evolving concept known as Voluntary Standard Systems (VSS). They encompass the three pillars of sustainability – social, environmental and economic aspects and consequently they can be considered as a tool, which makes sustainable development visible. Currently, they are becoming a significant element in international trade and in the promotion of sustainable development strategies, especially in the context of globalised markets and supply chains. This volume provides a comprehensive overview of the current VSS concepts: from their nature and functioning, to the future outlook for their development. It places VSS in the broader context of global development issues and challenges, including development policy and international sustainability commitments, progress towards achieving ‘green economy’ and meeting climate protection targets. The volume contains also a representative selection of case studies which demonstrate their wide range of application in different sectors of the economy.

Voluntary Sustainability Standards

Voluntary Sustainability Standards PDF Author: Ulrich Hoffmann
Publisher: Peter Lang Us
ISBN: 9781433187711
Category : Agricultural industries
Languages : en
Pages : 146

Book Description
Sustainability standards, their systems, role and impact -- VSS at a crossroads -- Is there any future perspective for VSS and what might it look like?

Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics

Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics PDF Author: National Council on Economic Education
Publisher: Council for Economic Educat
ISBN: 9781561834334
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 122

Book Description
This essential guide for curriculum developers, administrators, teachers, and education and economics professors, the standards were developed to provide a framework and benchmarks for the teaching of economics to our nation's children.

Voluntary Programs

Voluntary Programs PDF Author: Matthew Potoski
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262258404
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 355

Book Description
A conceptual framework and empirical case studies of the policy effect of voluntary programs sponsored by industry, government, and nongovernmental organizations. The recent growth of voluntary programs has attracted the attention of policymakers, nongovernmental organizations, and scholars. Thousands of firms around the world participate in these programs, in which members agree to undertake socially beneficial actions that go beyond the requirements of government regulations, such as following labor codes in the apparel industry, adhering to international accounting standards, and adopting internal environmental management systems. This book analyzes the efficacy of a variety of voluntary programs using a club theory, political-economy framework. It examines how programs' design influences their effectiveness as policy tools. It finds that voluntary programs have achieved uneven success because of their varying standards and enforcement procedures. The club theory framework views voluntary programs as institutions that create incentives for firms to incur the costs of taking progressive action beyond what is required by law in exchange for benefits that nonmembers do not enjoy (such as enhanced standing with stakeholders). Voluntary Programs develops this theoretical framework and applies it to voluntary programs sponsored by industry associations, governments, and nongovernmental organizations, organized around policy issues such as “blood diamonds,” shipping, sweatshops, and the environment. The wide diversity of cases—across sectors, sponsoring organizations, and objectives—provides valuable applications of the club framework, generates new insights for future research, and offers practical guidance for designing effective programs. Contributors David P. Baron, Tim Bartley, Tim Büthe, Cary Coglianese, Elizabeth R. DeSombre, Daniel W. Drezner, Daniel Fiorino, Mary Kay Gugerty, Virginia Haufler, Matthew J. Kotchen, Mimi Lu, Jennifer Nash, Matthew Potoski, Aseem Prakash, Klaas van 't Veld

Impact of International Voluntary Standards on Smallholder Market Participation in Developing Countries

Impact of International Voluntary Standards on Smallholder Market Participation in Developing Countries PDF Author: Allison Loconto
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)
ISBN: 9789251082331
Category : Agriculture
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
Over the past twenty years, international voluntary standards have gained prominence in global trade. These standards are developed and used by both private and public actors to ensure quality, food safety, social protection and environmental conservation that go beyond mandatory regulation. Concerns have been consistently raised about the ability of international voluntary standards to increase the market access of small-scale producers and exporters in developing countries. This publication presents the results of a literature review conducted by FAO in 2012 on the impact of voluntary standards on smallholders ability to participate in markets. The results are based on an analysis of 101 studies containing 123 cases.

Hard Choices, Soft Law

Hard Choices, Soft Law PDF Author: John J. Kirton
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351931636
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 414

Book Description
An important read for academics and policy-makers alike, Hard Choices, Soft Law asserts that voluntary standards, or 'soft' law, are an important supplement to international law in a number of areas. This key work firstly outlines the approach taken to combining soft and hard law and trade, environment and labour values in the WTO and NAFTA, and in the prospective Millennium Round. Then, using the forestry sector - a realm where formal international law remains largely absent - the book provides a detailed examination of the role of soft law in action. It demonstrates how soft and hard law can be combined to promote trade, environmental and social cohesion, in ways that also permit sustainable development. The book presents a wealth of knowledge from a range of contributors familiar with the work of the G7/G8, the OECD, the Biodiversity Convention and the Codex Alimentarius.

Better Trade for Sustainable Development

Better Trade for Sustainable Development PDF Author: Axel Marx
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789211130249
Category : Exports
Languages : en
Pages : 61

Book Description
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development defines international trade as "an engine for inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction, [that] contributes to the promotion of sustainable development".

Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Trade

Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Trade PDF Author: International Standards, Conformity Assessment, and U.S. Trade Policy Project Committee
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309587883
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 253

Book Description
Mandated standards used for vehicle airbags, International Organization for Standards (ISO) standards adopted for photographic film, de facto standards for computer software--however they arise, standards play a fundamental role in the global marketplace. Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Trade provides a comprehensive, up-to-date analysis of the link between standards, product testing and certification, and U.S. economic performance. The book includes recommendations for streamlining standards development, increasing the efficiency of product testing and certification, and promoting the success of U.S. exports in world markets. The volume offers a critical examination of organizations involved in standards and identifies the urgent improvements needed in the U.S. system for conformity assessment, in which adherence to standards is assessed and certified. Among other key issues, the book explores the role of government regulation, laboratory accreditation, and the overlapping of multiple quality standards in product development and manufacturing. In one of the first treatments of this subject, Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Trade offers a unique and highly valuable analysis of the impact of standards and conformity assessment on global trade.

Publications

Publications PDF Author: United States. National Bureau of Standards
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Government publications
Languages : en
Pages : 668

Book Description


NBS Special Publication

NBS Special Publication PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Weights and measures
Languages : en
Pages : 800

Book Description