Voluntary sustainability standards are defined as "standards specifying requirements that producers, traders, manufacturers, retailers or service providers may be asked to meet, relating to a wide range of sustainability metrics, including respect for basic human rights, worker health and safety, environmental impacts, community relations, land-use planning and others“ (UNFSS, 2013).
These are various social, economic, and/or environmental requirements that economic operators can voluntarily meet in order to make their production and processing methods more sustainable. If these are met, economic actors can be awarded certificates or labels. These serve as proof of compliance and are therefore a reward for the more sustainable production of goods and services. In theory, this gives them easier access to the market and allows them to charge higher prices for their goods or services.
Voluntary sustainability standards can vary in nature. They may focus on specific sectors (e.g., agriculture, mining, or fisheries), groups (e.g., small farmers or producers in developing countries), environmental or social factors (e.g., greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity, or workers' rights), or other aspects. Voluntary sustainability standards can be developed by individual companies, business associations, environmental or social NGOs, governments, or multi-stakeholder initiatives. The latter attempt to balance the interests of a range of stakeholders.