This desk research is an output from the Delta Framework, an ISEAL Innovations Fund supported project that is developing a cross-commodity framework for sustainability monitoring and reporting.

The document at the bottom of this page provides a high level summary of what polygon location data is and why it is of significant value to sustainability standards. It aims to encourage decision makers within systems to consider the operational collection and use of polygon data within their organisations.

Six years ago, ISEAL published a comprehensive review and synthesis of existing literature and evidence of the business benefits of using sustainability standards.

There is now wide recognition that the ongoing pandemic has had a profound impact on women across all dimensions of economic and social activity. From shifting gender roles within the household to effects on women’s active role in the economy and the real health and well-being effects of the pandemic, there is a growing concern that women are ‘losing out’ severely. From the standpoint of sustainability standards and systems, the pandemic has opened up the opportunity to review many streams of work, including how they conduct their assurance activities.

This research aims to contribute evidence of the Impacts of Voluntary Sustainability Standards as well as provide a working definition for the concept of systemic impacts.

This report looks at the issues facing small certified producers and their expectations and experiences of certification, and explores how standards can address producers’ needs and priorities.

This document provides practical guidance for sustainability systems to support them in generating valuable and actionable insights from data. Utilizing concepts in data science, it is intended for sustainability systems seeking to maximise the value of their data, combine data sources, and enable improved data-driven decision making procedures.

A concise document that outlines the key lessons learned from the VIA Initiative.

This document summarises the results of a pilot project coordinated by ISEAL to face the challenge of communicating the impacts of standards. It also reflects on the value of this pilot as a rich learning experience for all the individuals involved.

In this video, small producers report on the impact sustainability standards have had on their life. 

In this webinar, Patrick Mallet, Director of Innovations at ISEAL, presents the newest approaches to data and other tools to build trust in supply chains.

Webinar on key concepts in the development of a Theory of Change (ToC) for standard systems.

Voluntary sustainability standards have the potential to deliver impacts that go beyond individual certified operations and effect wider systemic changes, according to new research published by WWF and ISEAL. These ‘systemic impacts’ help to create an enabling environment for production and consumption practices that benefit people and the planet, and contribute toward the Sustainable Development Goals.

This webinar looks at the critical factors that help independent assurance programmes be credible and effective. Member examples, including RSPO, are used.

This resource includes the recording of the Webinar: ISEAL guidance to support remote auditing practices; Overview, Discussion and Next steps

Juan Isaza, Program Manager, explains what the IPM Coalition is and how this initiative will accelerate the elimination of highly hazardous pesticide usage throughout the world.

This resource includes the recording, slides and agenda of the first learning workshop of the remote auditing project.

This resource includes the recording and slides of the second learning workshop of the remote auditing project.

This webinar discusses the report from WWF and ISEAL 'SDGs mean business: How credible standards can help deliver the 2030 Agenda'.

This webinar explores opportunities for increasing interoperability of sustainability standards based on research on standards in the metals, minerals and mining sector. 

A webinar on ASI’s project on how to strengthen audits through the usage of GIS.

This ASI research report identified possible approaches, good auditing practices, and potential areas for alignment between sustainability standards and has been presented in a webinar.

This webinar explores approaches for voluntary sustainability standards to embed sustainability in China's overseas development strategy, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

'The changing nature of trust and the role of credible standards' presented by Karin Kreider, ISEAL’s Executive Director, Joe Wozniak from International Trade Centre and Philip Schleifer from University of Amsterdam.

This webinar shows how a focus on data and information management in assurance can improve both the effectiveness of the assurance process and the value of that process for certifying enterprise, supply chain actors and the scheme owners themselves.