Promoting the application of voluntary standards

Many companies in Europe are involved in global sourcing of their products that very often come from emerging markets and developing countries. This can enhance economic, and ideally social development in these countries. But often are supply chains complex and partly or largely not transparent, and most often only price and quality are determining supplier/buyer relationships, if sustainability aspects are not part of the day to day trading relationships. Not only risk companies their reputation when it turns out that working conditions and environmental managements on supplier farms or in factories are below international norms, also consumers become more and more clear that they want to consume only goods that deserve sufficient trust in sustainable production.