The best of both worlds: national standards reflecting international requirements

16 December 2013 Driving innovation

Developing national standards in line with international requirements may not be easy, but it holds the most promise for creating real transformation, says Sarah Price, PEFC Head of Projects & Development.

As we can all recognize there are no easy answers for sustainability related questions. There are no ‘one size fits all’ solutions or silver bullets, but there is plenty of experience out there in trying different approaches. Trying to directly replicate an approach in a different place, context or sector will no doubt lead to failure. But with an open mind and some patience, it is possible to extract or distill the relevant learning and use it to shape a new solution. So from my vantage point in the forest sector I offer these brief extractions in hopes they can help move the palm oil industry further towards sustainability.

National standards have more potential for uptake

When standards are developed at a national level, following the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) procedures or other best practice guidelines for standard-setting, it’s an opportunity to bring local stakeholders together to build consensus. The outcome delivers requirements that are locally relevant: reflecting legislation, ecology, science and best practice, societal expectation, etc. As such, standards are tailored to national conditions and in general more accessible and straightforward to implement. But it’s also the standards development process that creates an ongoing opportunity for social dialogue amongst stakeholders. This is a real value to national standards which is all too often overlooked by international organizations or companies that want a quick fix and simple solution to certification.

Once the national standards are in place, the local ownership and management of the certification standard/scheme can also help to ensure broad uptake. Whether it’s tailored promotions, a perceived local pride & ownership of the scheme, or certification costs that are in check with national economies, all these factors can work together to bring more certified product to market.

Uniting national systems under one international umbrella

As consumers, we all know the challenges associated with understanding or trusting on- product logos. At some point, less is more! This market confusion is often identified as one of the short-comings of national standards. However, the experience of the PEFC, the world’s largest forest certification system, indicates that it is possible to assess and endorse national standards against international requirements. It’s not a simple task to undertake – we require the best of a year to complete an assessment and it involves many actors. But with 32 national standards currently PEFC-recognized, there is living proof that this approach is possible! Uniting national standards under a PEFC umbrella simplifies the market place and it also supports the trade by providing mutual recognitions amongst all the national standards themselves.

The story of the tortoise and the hare

Developing national standards in line with international requirements is not the easy option. It takes time, resources, engagement from stakeholders, and… patience. But from my perspective it holds a lot of promise for creating real transformation and advancing the uptake of sustainable practices. We need to move sustainability certification from niche to mainstream and I think it’s through supporting the development of credible and robust national standards that we can make this happen.