Grades and standards are the language of trade.

To ensure the

Triple Standards: competitiveness of developing country producers it is imperative that

Integrating Developing Country systems for affordable access and credible implementation of these

Producers into the Value Chain standards are established. Emerging standards are both complex and

dynamic, incorporating features that go beyond simple quality, to less

apparent characteristics of safety, environmental management, and

human rights. This is driven by the philosophy of the Triple Bottom Line,

Quick Reference Guide which integrates profitability with continual improvement in

to Private Environmental, environmental and social performance in everyday business practices.

Quality, and Social Standards There remains, however, an uneven understanding of how

these emerging standards can be implemented in the context of

developing countries. Producers and suppliers must speak a common

language based on these standards and a realistic accreditation and

auditing infrastructure. Only when there is common understanding about

grades and standards and the capacity to implement them, can the

benefits - financial, social, and environmental - be felt by all links in the

value chain.

This booklet provides a synopsis of some of the major

standards that impact developing country producers. This is not

designed to be an exhaustive source of information, but rather a primer

with tools for sourcing further information.

Third Edition http://marketstandards.chemonics.net

 Table of Contents Definitions
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The following terms are defined to help ease use of this reference
guide. They have been generalized to be appropriate for all the
Organic standards presented.
IFOAM Basic Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Accreditation
EU Statutory Law on Organic Food Labeling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Formal recognition to a body or person to certify to a
specific standard.
US NOP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Accreditation Body
Authoritative Body for a specific standard that gives formal recognition
Safety to body or person to certify to the standard.
EUREPGAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Audit
Formal check by Certifying Body of compliance to a specific standard.
HACCP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Certification
Codex Alimentarius. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Written assurance from a Certifying Body of compliance to a specific
standard.
Environmental
FSC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Certifying Body
Body given formal recognition to assess compliance to a specific stan-
dard.
MSC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Focus
ISO 14001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Desired aspects of product and production that a standard is designed
to control.
Social/Human Rights
Requirement
SA8000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Specific topics for compliance of standard.

Fair Trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Quality
ISO9000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Comparative Matrix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3
http://marketstandards.chemonics.net http://marketstandards.chemonics.net
 IFOAM Basic Standards EU Organic
Full Name Full Name
IFOAM, International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements European Union Statutory Law on Organic Food Labeling
Standard For
Organic agricultural goods Standard For
Agricultural products, at the level of both production and processing
Focus
Production and processing of agricultural products that provide Focus
assurance of adherence to organic standards. Production and processing of agricultural products that provide
Structure assurance of adherence to organic standards.
The IFOAM Basic Standards are largely considered the benchmark for
most national programs for organic standards. There is a general set of Structure
standards for agricultural products, with separate standards for animal Standard for organic labeling for products sold in the European market.
husbandry, beekeeping, aquaculture, processing and handling, textiles, There is a general set of standards for agricultural products, with
and sustainable forest management. separate standards for animal husbandry, beekeeping, aquaculture,
processing and handling, textiles, and forest management.
Requirements
Address ecosystem management (water, soil, biodiversity), genetically Requirements
modified materials, pesticides and fertilizers, social justice, transport, Address ecosystem management (water, soil, biodiversity), genetically
and processing. modified materials, pesticides and fertilizers, transport and processing,
Background and social justice.
IFOAM represents a worldwide network of organic practitioners. This
grassroots-oriented organization seeks to establish universally accepted Background
standards for organic production and processing. Because organic The European Commission adopted Council Regulation No. 2092/91 to
agriculture adheres to globally accepted principles that are implemented officially recognize the notion of organic farming in certain member
locally, IFOAM works to develop self-sufficient systems at the local and states. It was done not only to define the concept of organic farming
regional levels. and processing, but also to combat widespread fraud.

Accreditation Body Auditing System

International Organic Accreditation Services, Inc. (IOAS) Varies by country.
Auditing System
Labeling
Third-party, IOAS-accredited certifying bodies.
System for labeling certified organic products in process.
Labeling
System developed through certifying bodies based on IFOAM regula- Resources
tions. http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/qual/organic/index_en.htm
Resources
http://www.ifoam.org/
http://www.ifoam.org/standard/norms/cover.html

4 5
http://marketstandards.chemonics.net http://marketstandards.chemonics.net
 US NOP EUREPGAP
Full Name Full Name
United States National Organic Program Euro-Retailer Produce Working Group, Good Agricultural Practices

Standard For Standard For

The production and processing of agriculture products. Quality standards for agricultural products, including fresh produce,
livestock, and fresh-cut flowers.
Focus Focus
Production and processing of agricultural products that provide assur- Food safety standard for agricultural products sourced by participating
ance of adherence to organic standards. European suppliers and processors.

Structure Structure
Standards for organic labeling of products sold in the United States. EUREPGAP applies to products purchased by a wide range of
There is a general set of standards for agricultural products, with European suppliers, though it has been adopted as a quality, social, and
separate standards for animal husbandry, beekeeping, aquaculture, environmental benchmark for products imported and sold throughout
processing and handling, textiles, and forest management. the European Community.
Requirements
Requirements Address seeds and shoots, soil and water management, fertilizer and
Address ecosystem management (water, soil, biodiversity), genetically pesticides, harvest, post-harvest treatments, waste management,
modified materials, pesticides and fertilizers, transport and processing, worker safety, and environmental management.
and social justice.
Background
Background EUREPGAP is a standard developed to provide a verification framework
The United States Congress mandated the United States Department of over a range of agricultural products. The standards were developed by
Agriculture develop regulations for organic agricultural products a group of European representatives from all stages of the agribusiness
because the unregulated organic market expanded significantly. supply chain. They were born out of food scares in Europe and a public
outcry to know the source and safety of food purchased in Europe.
Accreditation Body
Accreditation Body
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
EUREPGAP
Auditing System Auditor
USDA-accredited certifying inspectors. EUREPGAP-accredited certification bodies.
Labeling
Labeling
There is no established labeling system.
Labeling system under development.
Resources
Resources http://www.eurep.org/
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/ http://www.eurep.org/sites/index_e.html
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/NOP/standards.html
(look at the regulatory text only)

6 7
http://marketstandards.chemonics.net http://marketstandards.chemonics.net
 HACCP Codex Alimentarius
Full Name Full Name
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Codex Alimentarius

Standard For Standard For

Food products, from raw materials to finished products. Special control Food Products. There are general standards to be adhered to and spe-
points have also been developed for seafood and juice, as well as meat cific standards for a large number of individual food products.
and poultry processing.
Focus Focus
Food safety and preventing food-borne diseases. Food Safety. There are general standards to be adhered to and specific
standards for a large number of individual food products. Codex is
Structure designed to ensure that food is correctly labeled, correctly presented,
Voluntary standard to evaluate the entire production process for food and not adulterated.
safety.
Requirements Structure
Address analysis of hazards, preventive measures, system of The Codex standards are the basis for individual national food safety
monitoring, and effective record-keeping. standards for specific products. The standards are designed to be
accepted by WTO member countries to ensure food safety and facilitate
Background trade.
HACCP was originally developed by the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration to prevent food-borne diseases in the space Requirements
program. It has been picked up by the U.S. Food and Drug Food products must be disease-free, good quality, labeled correctly, and
Administration (FDA), which intends to make it the food safety standard packaged and transported in a sanitary fashion.
throughout the food service industry, including both domestic and
imported food products. HACCP has been endorsed by the Codex Background
Alimentarius Commission. The FAO and the World Health Organization established Codex
Alimentarius to provide universal standards for the ever-evolving global
Accreditation Body
food market. These standards were set up to prevent food-borne dis-
This is a voluntary program recommended by the FDA for companies to
eases and ensure a common standard to facilitate international trade.
use in their production process to alleviate the hazard of food-borne
diseases.
Auditing System
Auditing System Internal audit, random food sampling.
Internal audit, random food sampling.
Resources
Labeling
http://www.codexalimentarius.net/
There is no established labeling system.
http://www.codexalimentarius.net/standard_list.asp
Resources
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/haccpov.html
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/nacmcfp.html

8 9
http://marketstandards.chemonics.net http://marketstandards.chemonics.net
 FSC MSC
Full Name Full Name
Forest Stewardship Council, Principles and Criteria for Forest Marine Stewardship Council, Principles and Criteria for Sustainable
Stewardship Fishing
Standard For Standard For
Certifying forest management and chain of custody of forest products. Marine products
Focus Focus
Encouraging well-managed forests that adhere to agreed-upon social, Encourage sustainable fishing practices to ensure healthy species pop-
economic, and environmental standards. ulation and ecosystem integrity.
Structure Structure
Voluntary standards for certifying and labeling forests and forest products. Voluntary standards for certifying and labeling of individual species-
Requirements based commercial fisheries.
Must have an established forest management system, and address Requirements
environmental impact, indigenous rights, land tenure, and equity of Address ecosystem integrity and sustainable exploitation through
benefits. socially and economically sound methods.
Background
Background
The Forest Stewardship Council is an association of diverse
The MSC Principles and Criterias for Sustainable Fishing use a product
environmental and social groups, the timber trade and the forestry
label to reward environmentally responsible fishery management and
profession, indigenous people's organizations, community forestry
practices. Consumers concerned about overfishing and its environmen-
groups, and forest product certification organizations from around the
tal and social consequences will increasingly be able to choose seafood
world. FSC supports the development of national and local standards
products that have been independently assessed against the MSC
that implement the international Principles and Criteria of Forest
Standard. Certified products will be labeled to prove it. This will assure
Stewardship at the local level. FSC has developed guidelines for
consumers hat the product has not contributed to the environmental
developing regional certification standards to encourage social,
problem of overfishing.
economic, and environmentally sustainable forest management.
Accreditation Body
Accreditation Body
Marine Stewardship Council
FSC has developed guidelines for certification bodies.
Auditing System Auditing System
FSC-accredited certification bodies certify to the FSC Principles and Third-party, MSC-accredited assessors that certify to the MSC
Criteria for Forest Stewardship. Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Fishing.

Labeling Labeling
Established system of labeling compliant products. Established system of labeling compliant products.

Resources Resources
http://www.fscoax.org/ http://www.msc.org/
http://www.fscoax.org/principal.htm (see MSC Standards Ps and Cs under certification)
(look at Manual and Guidelines for Certification Bodies)
10 11
http://marketstandards.chemonics.net http://marketstandards.chemonics.net
 ISO 14001 SA8000
Full Name
Full Name
Social Accountability 8000
International Organization for Standardization 14000 Series
Standard For
Standard For Products produced by companies that adhere to specific standards for
Organizations working conditions and labor rights.
Focus Focus
Continual improvement system for managing environmental aspects of Improve work environment and workers rights.
operations.
Structure
Structure SA8000 is a voluntary standard that is auditable by third-party
Voluntary standard for an Environmental Management System (EMS) to verification.
improve environmental management performance.
Requirements
Requirements Address child labor, forced labor, health and safety, freedom of
Requires the development of an environment management policy, association, discrimination, disciplinary practices, working hours, and
environmental management plan, implementation plan, and a system remuneration.
for checking and taking corrective action. Background
Background SAI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the development,
ISO 14001 is an environmental management system based on ISO implementation, and oversight of voluntary, verifiable social
9001, organized to manage environmental issues within an accountability standards. SAI is committed to ensuring that standards
organization. It does not assure good environmental performance or and the systems for verifying compliance with such standards are highly
improvement. reputable and publicly accessible. SAI's social accountability system,
SA8000, is a way for retailers, brand companies, suppliers, and other
Accrediting Body organizations to maintain just and decent working conditions throughout
National membership organization in each country. the supply chain.

Auditing System Accreditation Body

Self-declaration or third-party auditing by ISO-accredited certifying Social Accountability International (SAI)
bodies. Auditing System
Labeling Third-party, SAI-accredited certifying bodies
There is no established labeling system. Labeling
There is no established labeling system.
Resources
http://www.iso.ch/iso/en/ISOOnline.frontpage Resources
http://www.iso.ch/iso/en/iso9000-14000/tour/magical.html http://www.sa-intl.org/
http://www.sa-intl.org/Document%20Center/Documents.htm
(note that the standards are produced in multiple languages)

12 13
http://marketstandards.chemonics.net http://marketstandards.chemonics.net
 FairTrade ISO 9000
Full Name Full Name
FairTrade Labeling Organizations (FLO) International International Organization of Standardization 9001:2000
Standard For Standard For
Primarily agricultural products, but increasingly applied to manufactured Organizations
goods (starting with sports balls).
Focus
Focus Continual improvement system for quality management of operations.
Human and worker rights.
Structure
Structure Industry-adopted "Quality Management System" to improve quality and
Standard for socially conscious product labeling. customer satisfaction.
Requirements Requirements
Address social development, economic development, environmental Development of management policy, management plan, implementation
development, and labor conditions. plan, and system for checking and taking corrective action.
Background Background
FairTrade Labeling Organizations (FLO) International exists to improve The International Organization of Standardization developed the ISO
the position of poor and marginalized producers in the developing world, 9000 series as a management system that provides a framework that
by setting the FairTrade standards and by creating a framework that can be applied to the management of any type and size of organization.
enables trade to take place at conditions respecting producers' The series addresses areas essential to the identification of customer
interests. FLO gives credibility to national FairTrade labels by providing satisfaction and the establishment of a management system to control
an independent, transparent, and competent certification of social and the quality of an organization's products or services. The system is
economic development. designed to be generic and applicable to all organizations and products.
Accreditation Body Accrediting Body
FLO International National Membership Organization in each country.
Auditing System Auditing System
FLO certification is run by an autonomous unit within FLO International. Self-declaration or third-party auditing by accredited certifying bodies.
Labeling Labeling
Participating countries have national labeling systems. No official system of labeling
Resources Resources
http://www.fairtrade.net/index.htm http://www.iso.ch/iso/en/ISOOnline.frontpage
http://www.fairtrade.net/sites/standards/set.htm http://www.iso.ch/iso/en/iso9000-14000/tour/magical.html

14 15
http://marketstandards.chemonics.net http://marketstandards.chemonics.net
 Comparative Matrix
Focus of Standards Application Focus Structure

En
De

r
c

La

Or

Q
S

vir
u
Sp

Sp

g
A la

u
Sa
g

be
l

on
e

P ec

od

an

ali
uc

cia
Co ecif
ry

l
Fo fety
Se

ic

ty
me

low ratio

nt ic

od ific
na em
lf

en
n
Ma yst -

t
nt

IFOAM secondary primary secondary secondary secondary agribusiness no yes

EU
EU Organic secondary primary secondary secondary secondary agribusiness
members yes
US NOP secondary primary secondary secondary secondary agribusiness United yes
States
EUREPGAP secondary secondary secondary primary agribusiness EUREPGAP
members
HACCP primary agribusiness no yes

Codex primary agribusiness no yes

SA8000 primary secondary no no

FairTrade primary no no yes

FSC secondary primary forest no yes

MSC secondary primary marine no yes

ISO 14001 primary no no yes yes

ISO 9000 primary no no yes yes

Fax 202.955.3400
www.chemonics.com
1133 20th Street, NW
Dave Gibson, Director,

FSC Certified by SmartWood

Washington, DC 20036
Telephone 202.955.3300
Diane Hoefkens, Director,

Chemonics International Inc.

Agribusiness Practice Network
and Agribusiness Practice Networks.
Produced by the Natural Resource Management

Natural Resource Management Practice Network