Publications

The first global data report on fast-growing voluntary sustainability standards outlines the share of bananas, cocoa, coffee, cotton, forestry, palm oil, soybeans, cane sugar and tea in 14 major standards. The report is based on a partnership between the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture...

Voluntary sustainability standards continue their growth across the world. This third global report provides new insights into the evolution of certified agriculture and forestry. ITC has teamed up once more with the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and the International Institute...

This report shows how sustainability standards can be a powerful tool for post-pandemic recovery.

This new International Trade Centre report on market access, transparency and fairness in global trade concludes that ‘market access begins at home’. It argues that further reducing barriers to trade between developing countries needs to be an essential part of the way forward. The report is the...

Anti-competitive practices can hurt developing country businesses. This book outlines cases and suggestions for reform.

This handbook produced jointly by ISO and ITC describes the role of quality in export competitiveness and its implications for developing country exporters and support institutions; considers the role of national standards bodies (NSBs) and that of trade promotion organizations (TPOs) in providing...

Standards and regulations have a major impact on SME competitiveness.

Deeper regional integration goes hand in hand with strengthening processing industries and the internationalization of SMEs.Trade integration within and among regions of African, Caribbean and Pacific Island groups are measured in this study. Regions with the fastest trade integration over the last...

While more than 40% of existing trade strategies identify trade integration and regionalism as crucial policy areas, less than 3% of the strategies are regional. Nor do they fully build on diversification opportunities in services and manufacturing.This is one of many trends in trade strategies,...

The design of governance structure of social and environmental sustainability standards determines how accessible they are to producers in developing countries.The increase in consumer demand for sustainable trade has given rise to a growing array of social and environmental standards. This joint...

To be part of value chains dominated by large global players, small and medium-sized enterprises need a sound business environment, ready access to finance, and institutional support to reach new markets and to defend their interests.

Standards and regulations have a major impact on SME competitiveness.