21. The future of standardsThe Future of Standards The supply of commodities is tightening, driven by population growth and climate change. Whatever the commodity, the pre-requisites for supply are safety, legality and quality. To deliver these, retailers and brand manufacturers all work to the same basic standards, both for farming and processing. Certification has become the favoured model with its potentially strong legal checks and measures. It has many problems though, such as cost, integrity and duplication. There’s also certification for sustainability. This means consumers may end up paying more for something because they have an emotional attachment to its promise of product integrity. This has its own problems such as measuring impact but provides a powerful and valuable message. It shows a brand’s commitment to the environment and to the people involved in production, whether as workers or growers. This workshop, facilitated by Independent Consultant and writer Chris Anstey and featuring a presentation from Nico Roozen, the Executive Director of Solidaridad, will consider the future of standards by answering these questions:
The new idea of certifying land use instead of the actual product will be at the centre of the discussion. Will this offer a new approach that can overcome pressures on cost, integrity and duplication? The session aims to develop a constructive discussion between the delegates, so the presentations will be short while the debate will be vigorous.
Speakers: Facilitator: Chris Anstey |
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