Publications

Private sustainability standards can be an effective tool to foster sustainable development. This paper outlines conditions for sustainability and potential obstacles. Private sustainability standards can bring benefits to producers and the supply chain. This literature review analyses why the...

A comparison of sustainability schemes, as well as an overview of the trends in the markets for specialty and sustainable coffees. Coffee niche markets provide opportunities for producers in developing countries to increase their incomes. This paper, drawn from ITC’s new book on the coffee trade,...

This paper describes in detail the types of claim statements permissible for dietary supplements and health food products, non-food cosmetic products, and over-the-counter drug products marketed in the United States. In the United States, regulations determine the statements that a company can...

This paper provides key information about the North American natural products market with a special focus on selected South American and African products. Natural products in the North American market have experienced strong market growth in the last decade as consumers increasingly demand...

This paper aims to guide exporters of agricultural products through the process of product carbon footprinting so as to make it easier for them to understand the processes involved, improve their environmental performance and ultimately to reduce the costs for their business. This paper presents a...

This paper provides easy-to-follow guidance on the basic labelling requirements for finished natural product and sustainability certification. Labelling products correctly is an essential requirement to sell natural products in the United States consumer market and exporters from developing...

Literature review of interdependencies between public and private standards. It focuses on how governments could engage with private standards to impact their legitimacy and significance in the market; provides examples of complementarities between public and private standards. Part three of a...

Coffee is the world's most important agricultural crop in terms of trade volumes; it is exported by 60 countries and is one of the few major commodities grown predominantly by smallholder farmers. This report: presents an overview of the market trends for coffee certified as ‘sustainable’ over...

China is both an exporter and importer of green coffee and roasted coffee. The quantities produced and consumed are modest in a global context: China produces some 40,000 tons of green coffee annually (0.5% of world production). Annual consumption is some 30,000 tons (0.025 kg per capita), a small...

This guide deals with the relationship between the successful marketing of crafts and visual arts, and the appropriate use of intellectual property (IP) system instruments. It: identifies situations where obtaining formal IP protection ought to be considered explains how to implement...