A new United Nations report launched at a event in Delhi on Monday suggests that, “Eco-labels” and Voluntary Sustainability Standards that uphold not just the quality but the sustainability of products from developing countries can be the key to unlocking new markets.
The report was launched at the International Convention on Sustainable Trade and Standards, organized by the Quality Council of India (QCI) and the United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS), in New Delhi.
UNCTAD Deputy Secretary General Isabelle Durant at the event said “Today, there are almost 500 eco-labels in 199 countries and 25 industrial sectors, With broad uptake, standards can move industries towards improved social, environmental and economic performance. Standards translate the broad concept of sustainability into specific and concrete measures for companies and their suppliers and influence consumption decisions of the consumers.”
The UNFSS is a knowledge-sharing and convening platform backed by UNCTAD and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Trade Centre (ITC), the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
