Standards map

Overview

Standards Map www.standardsmap.org is an interactive online database of the International Trade Centre (UNCTAD/WTO) that enhances access to comprehensive information on private standards and aims to increase opportunities for sustainable production and trade. Standards Map is part of the suite of Market Analysis Tools developed by ITC's Market Analysis and Research section to which over 150'000 users are registered world wide.

Standards Map references information on over 40 private standards operating in more than 200 countries and certifying products and services in over 60 economic sectors. Through an intuitive and user-friendly search process, users can review and compare standards across common themes and criteria. Standards Map also includes additional reference material to increase awareness and knowledge of private standards, including quick fact sheets for each of the standards referenced and links to over 200 academic studies, dissertations and research papers.

The mission of Standards Map is to centralise, organise and disseminate information on private standards and related research results to strengthen the capacity of producers, exporters and buyers to participate in more sustainable production and trade. With its impartiality as a UN organization, significant experience strengthening trade information services in partner countries and disseminating trade intelligence, ITC is well placed to collect and organize information on private standards.

Background

Over the past several years, private standards developed by civil society organisations, the private sector and other groups have experienced unprecedented growth. Accompanying this growth is the increasing need for standards information and transparency. Producers and exporters in the developing world often lack information when considering whether and how to engage in more sustainable production and trade practices. The goal of Standards Map is to address these challenges, to enhance transparency on private standards and to increase opportunities for sustainable production and trade.

Comparative analysis and review of private standards

Standards Map references information on private standards ranging from product/sector specific standards (such as Fairtrade, SAN/Rainforest Alliance, 4C)

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Sample logos referenced in Standards Map

Features

• Analyze and compare standards: Over 40 private standards operating in more than 200 target markets, certifying products and services in over 60 economic sectors - including agriculture, forestry, fisheries, mining, textiles and manufactured products, among others.

• Identify opportunities for product diversification and new niche markets: Make a comparative assessment of private standards requirements and assess potential costs and benefits linked to the adoption of private standards.

• Flexible analytical tool: Customize searches using pre-set queries and review standards’ coverage and scope, cost and price estimates, support and assistance, governance and environmental, social, economic, ethical, traceability and quality requirements. Construct advanced queries or refine pre-set queries from a pool of over 700 criteria.

• Review research on private standards: Browse and access recent and fully referenced publications and resources on private standards’ impact, operational assessments and selected market data.

• Visualize standards requirements and scope: Generate maps to view standards’ actual and potential geographical scope.

• Impartial information: Standards Map is the only web platform providing information at such high level of detail. Standards’ data in the tool is verified according to a process including third party experts and the respective standard organizations. Standards Map does not make value judgments or ratings of standards.

• Data export: Users can export data into Excel files for customized analysis or download information. Maps can be saved as JPEG files.

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Generate maps and see the geographic scope for verification and certification looking at specific or multiple products and services.

In one click, jump to the Research module to review the publications and resources associated with the product, country and related standards under review.

Identify and review standards which certify/verify specific products/services and/or which operate in a specific country.

Generate results on specific themes or construct queries making use of over the 700 critiera in the Standards Map database.

Access

Thanks to financial contributions from donors to ITC's Trust Fund, users in developing countries and territories can register on the ITC Market Analysis Tools portal to access ITC’s market analysis tools free of charge. Users in developed countries and territories can register to get a one-week free trial access or subscribe for longer term access.

ITC provides on-line tools, tailored market research and trade analysis, and conducts training programmes in market analysis for trade policy makers, trade support institutions and the business community in developing countries. The T4SD tool will complement ITC on-line tools, which already include: Trade Map, Market Access Map, Investment Map and Trade Competitiveness Map which are accessible through the the ITC Market Analysis Tools portal.