Standards as a new form of social contract? Sustainability initiatives in the coffee industry

Giovannucci, Daniele; Ponte, Stefano

doi:10.1016/j.foodpol.2005.05.007

Cited by 332 publications

(251 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…However, there have been measures that support the sustainability of distant systems, e.g., via purchasing sustainable coffee (Giovannucci and Ponte 2005). Still, others argue that dependence on local produce may compromise food security and forgo opportunities to use production areas with high yields and low environmental impacts (DesRochers andShimizu 2012, MacMillan 2012).…”

Section: The Framework Can Help Evaluate Socioeconomic and Environmenmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At the same time, expansion of information technology and networks has promoted democracy (Li and Reuveny 2003), availability of cellular phones that allow for connections with distant partners has improved trade opportunities for local shareholders (Aker 2008), and global health networks have made vaccines increasingly available for remote communities (Milstien et al 2006). In addition, the rapid growth of ecocertification, sustainability standards, and sustainable sourcing strategies by large agribusiness corporations offer a potentially countervailing trend to the increase of commodity trade, by harnessing the forces of globalization for sustainability (Giovannucci andPonte 2005, Van Kooten et al 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Framing Sustainability in a Telecoupled World

Liu¹,

Hull²,

Batistella³

et al. 2013

E&S

804

585

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ABSTRACT. Interactions between distant places are increasingly widespread and influential, often leading to unexpected outcomes with profound implications for sustainability. Numerous sustainability studies have been conducted within a particular place with little attention to the impacts of distant interactions on sustainability in multiple places. Although distant forces have been studied, they are usually treated as exogenous variables and feedbacks have rarely been considered. To understand and integrate various distant interactions better, we propose an integrated framework based on telecoupling, an umbrella concept that refers to socioeconomic and environmental interactions over distances. The concept of telecoupling is a logical extension of research on coupled human and natural systems, in which interactions occur within particular geographic locations. The telecoupling framework contains five major interrelated components, i.e., coupled human and natural systems, flows, agents, causes, and effects. We illustrate the framework using two examples of distant interactions associated with trade of agricultural commodities and invasive species, highlight the implications of the framework, and discuss research needs and approaches to move research on telecouplings forward. The framework can help to analyze system components and their interrelationships, identify research gaps, detect hidden costs and untapped benefits, provide a useful means to incorporate feedbacks as well as trade-offs and synergies across multiple systems (sending, receiving, and spillover systems), and improve the understanding of distant interactions and the effectiveness of policies for socioeconomic and environmental sustainability from local to global levels.

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Section: The Framework Can Help Evaluate Socioeconomic and Environmenmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Framing Sustainability in a Telecoupled World

Liu¹,

Hull²,

Batistella³

et al. 2013

E&S

804

585

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In this study, ''sustainable'' is defined as compliance with standards for the social and environmental aspects of production and trade. The establishment of standards is an increasingly important instrument to improve environmental and social sustainability in supply chains that originate from developing countries (e.g., Barrientos et al 2003;Giovannucci and Ponte 2005;World Bank 2002). With approximately 20 different systems of sustainability standards, including Rainforest Alliance, Starbucks, and Utz Certified, the coffee industry is, in this respect, a forerunner (Kolk 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Development of a Market for Sustainable Coffee in The Netherlands: Rethinking the Contribution of Fair Trade

Ingenbleek

Reinders²

2012

J Bus Ethics

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In recent years, researchers have observed the process of mainstreaming Fair Trade and the emergence of alternative sustainability standards in the coffee industry. The underlying market dynamics that have contributed to these developments are, however, under-researched. Insight into these dynamics is important to understand how markets can develop to favor sustainability. This study examines the major developments in the market for certified coffee in the Netherlands. It finds that, in the creation of a market for sustainable coffee, decisions that significantly influence market creation are made in the lead companies (retailers and coffee roasters). These decisions are made possible by the availability of multiple systems of sustainability standards and by the existence of a small segment of loyal Fair Trade customers that ensured that sustainability remained an issue on the coffee market in the years before the market creation took-off. Fair Trade did not become the new rule in this process, but it became the benchmark against which companies could compare themselves and the basis upon which they built in adopting or developing new standards that would be more feasible in their business models.

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“…Sustainability standards and certification have by now become more and more mainstream, with different actors entering the stage and new standards benefiting from (soft) infrastructure being in place. In short: VSS have become a recognised mechanism to connect consumption, production and trade with the aim to create more sustainable development outcomes and impacts (Boström & Klintman 2008;Gereffi et al 2005;Giovannucci & Ponte 2005;Potts et al 2014).…”

Section: Calculation Of the Number Of Cities With An Urban Biodiversimentioning

confidence: 99%