United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards National Platform and Initiative Cooperative Network (NPICN) meeting

United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards, with UNCTAD as secretariat, has supported several emerging countries to develop multi-stakeholder platforms and initiatives for VSS, and established the National Platform and Initiative Cooperative Network (NPICN). The NPICN derives from the joint “Declaration of Cooperation on Sustainability Standards Ecosystems between the National Platforms” initiated by the Quality Council of India (QCI) and signed among parties in New Delhi, India in 2018. This declaration is a call for collaboration among the NPIC across the world to drive knowledge exchanges in the governance of sustainability standards systems.

The NPICN typically provides a neutral forum to collect and exchange information on national standards, assess the needs of decision-makers and other stakeholders, and link national demands with international expertise. Currently, there are platforms in Brazil, China, India, Colombia, and Mexico; and Initiatives in Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa, and Vietnam. Representatives from the national member organizations of the NPICN meet twice a year to exchange best practices on VSS, address common challenges with respect to sustainable trade and VSS across geographies, and decide on an agenda for the ensuing year.

The forthcoming session of NPICN will focus on establishing a common research agenda among the members and understanding of the credibility principles set for VSS.