Voluntary Sustainability Standards and Export Promotion: Insights from their integration in Vietnam, Namibia, Suriname, and Mozambique
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Governments in developing countries and regions are adopting VSSs in export promotion measures to ensure exported products meet sustainability-related market requirements, while also expanding trading opportunities for producers, women, and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.
This report examines how integrating VSSs into national regulatory and sectoral systems can drive export-promotion outcomes. It provides insights into how governments are developing measures to support the use of VSSs in key sectors to increase access to markets and to help producers adopt and maintain more sustainable production practices. The report presents examples from four countries that have integrated or supported the use of VSSs for export promotion, highlighting lessons learned, benefits for producers, key successes and challenges, and emerging best practices.
These four cases demonstrate that despite challenges, a structured, well-supported collaboration among governments, industry, and VSS organizations can drive both market access and more sustainable production practices. This report concludes with actionable recommendations for policy-makers to effectively address emerging challenges and risks linked to the use of VSSs in export-promotion measures and the broader implications of evolving sustainability-related policies in importing countries.