A total of 178 countries committed themselves to the guiding principle of sustainable development at the Rio Summit in 1992. This principle attempts to reconcile economic, social and environmental aspects – locally, nationally and globally. The question is: how can this be achieved?

The private sector itself is increasingly showing interest and willingness to commit itself to observing social and economic standards, and therein lies a chance for sustainable development. Civil society is calling for - and rewarding - such production methods more and more.

Translating social and ecological demands into practice while taking into account the legal and institutional frameworks on the one hand, and the profit orientation of business and industry on the other, represents a major challenge. Appropriate forums and forms of participation must be found; credibility and transparency, promoted.

The Programme Office for Social and Ecological Standards supports standard initiatives in various sectors. We invite you to visit our Internet pages and learn more about our work: