ITC Standards Map: Linking 'Ethical' Suppliers to Global Buyers

The International Trade Centre (ITC), a joint organization of the United Nations and World Trade Organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, has one goal: to help businesses become more competitive in global markets, speeding economic development and contributing to sustainable development. 

As part of this goal, ITC has developed a new web platform called Standards Map that provides comprehensive and comparable information on sustainability standards and audit protocols, with the aim to strengthen the capacity of producers, exporters and buyers to participate in more sustainable production and trade.

ITC collaborates with over 75 organizations that have developed standards systems, codes and audit protocols, among which is SAI. ITC's role as an U.N. neutral intermediary between public-private partnerships is particularly appreciated as a "break" through the risk-averse behavior that often delays well-meaning collaborations within organizations. The Standards Map platform offers an online "comparison tool" that enables users to make analyses, comparisons and reviews of sustainability standards and audit protocols using a unique set of social, environmental and economic criteria, audit best practices and good governance models. Ranging from small  companies, traders and suppliers to retailers, importers and standards organizations themselves, users of the Standards Map platform are encouraged to share information about their various sustainability models, with the ultimate goal for companies to benefit from ethical and efficient supply chains worldwide. 

The Standards Map platform helps 'ethical' suppliers, such as SA8000-certified operators, understand better their needs, how to access new markets & buyers, and how ITC can help them become more competitive and sustainable in global markets.

The information on SA8000 that is made available on the Standards Map platform is currently being updated by the ITC team in close collaboration with SAI. The ITC team is also currently working to add features to the Standards Map comparison tool, which will enable users to perform their customized analyses, save their settings directly online and share work with their social media networks, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Since the end of May, additional sustainability standards and audit protocols were made available for review and comparison on the ITC Standards Map platform, including  the Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) and the International Council on Metals and Mining (ICMM) Sustainable Development

A free trial access to the Standards Map online comparison tool is offered to  all new users who register from the Standards Map homepage. A series of free tutorials on how to use the Standards map platform and comparison tool will be organized in the coming weeks will be available to newly registered users who send an email stating "Interested in free Standards Map tutorial" to standardsmap@intracen.org. The latest news and updates on Standards Map activities, workshops, webinars and partnerships can be followed via ITC Standards Map's social media channels on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.