Sustainability standards in global agrifood supply chains

Area of Science:

• Agrifood Systems Analysis
• Sustainability Science
• Supply Chain Management

Background:

• Agrifood supply chains are significant contributors to environmental degradation and social inequities.
• Sustainability standards are voluntary rules designed to mitigate these issues by promoting social and environmental responsibility.
• These standards are increasingly adopted across various agricultural sectors globally.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a narrative review of the effects of diverse sustainability standards on agrifood supply chain actors.
• To identify and discuss emerging research questions related to the efficacy and implementation of these standards.
• To propose future research directions for advancing sustainable and equitable agrifood systems.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive narrative literature review was conducted.
• The review synthesized findings on the impacts of various sustainability standards across multiple crops and supply chain actors.
• Emerging challenges and research gaps were identified through critical analysis of existing literature.

Main Results:

• Sustainability standards show potential for improving production processes in specific contexts.
• However, current standards are insufficient to achieve broad food system sustainability.
• Evidence suggests limited advancement of equity objectives within agrifood supply chains due to these standards.

Conclusions:

• While beneficial in certain niches, sustainability standards alone cannot guarantee a sustainable and equitable global food system.
• Addressing systemic issues requires broader interventions beyond individual standards.
• Future research should focus on causality, exclusion, compliance, market dynamics, and the impact on emerging economies.