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      • Nutrition Innovation Mini-Challenge
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      • Sustainable Palm Oil Coalition
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Overview
Events
Insights

VSS Collaboration India

An initiative of Centre for Responsible Business (CRB) for Sustainability Standards organisations operating in India to be better informed about each other’s initiatives and explore opportunities to collaborate

Overview

Given the proliferation of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS), producer organisations are often ill-informed or confused about their applicability. Experts worldwide have been calling for collaboration among VSS organisations. In keeping with the need for better interactions among VSS organizations, Centre for Responsible Business (CRB) kicked-off an initiative in January 2019 in Delhi by convening VSS organisations working in India to explore ‘mutual engagements and collaboration’. From CRB’s engagement and interactions with VSS organisations and various experts and actors, the need for collaboration among sustainability standards had been raised as an imperative.

Objectives

The objective of the VSS Collaboration India initiative of CRB is to:

  • Create better mutual understanding of domain knowledge/expertise among various VSS Organisations in India
  • Explore opportunities for (online and offline) collaborative actions
  • Share and learn from each others’ experiences/approaches of promoting uptake of VSS in India

India and Sustainability Standards Conference: Interaction between VSS Standards Setters & Indian Stakeholders

CRB Annual Sustainability Conference India and Sustainability Standards, (www.sustainabilitystandards.in) offers a platform for international standards setting organisations/professionals working on VSS and other aspects of Sustainable/Responsible Business to interact with Indian stakeholders, across various sectors/thematic areas. Over the 6 years of implementing the annual Conference, CRB has been able to facilitate a multi-stakeholder led discourse, leading to certain actions on the ground.

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Events

Shaping sustainability systems to achieve sustainability goals online workshop

Shaping sustainability systems to achieve sustainability goals online workshop

8th meeting of Voluntary Sustainable Standard Collaboration India, 9 February 2022

8th meeting of Voluntary Sustainable Standard Collaboration India, 9 February 2022

The 8th meeting of Voluntary Sustainable Standard Collaboration India was held on 9 February 2022 virtually. This meeting’s focus was on “VSS and Climate Change in India”. It was attended by prominent leaders from different industries who are working on sustainability and issues related to climate and climate change in India. The steps taken by the Indian Government to address the issue such as highlighting a pathway to reduce the use of fossil fuels, lower carbon intensity, and achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 were also discussed. The role of the VSS Collaboration India in supporting the VSS organisations to achieve India’s climate ambitions by 2070 was also highlighted.

Play Video
Session on, 'Role of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) in post COVID19 Recovery', at CRB's ISS Conference 2021, 29th October 2021

Session on, 'Role of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) in post COVID19 Recovery', at CRB's ISS Conference 2021, 29th October 2021

CRB organized a session on, ‘Role of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) in post COVID19 Recovery’, at its 8th India and Sustainability Standards Conference 2021. The session, co-hosted by QCI and VSS Collaboration India, draws lessons for India from global experiences of VSS Organisations’ contribution to SDGs. The session also discussed perspectives of VSS Organizations on synergies with policies and Government programmes/initiatives in India. View the recording here

Seventh Meeting, Implementation and Uptake of Business & Human Rights in India: What role can VSS organisation play?, 13th May 2021

Seventh Meeting, Implementation and Uptake of Business & Human Rights in India: What role can VSS organisation play?, 13th May 2021

CRB organised a meeting intending to curate a conversation with members of the VSS Collaboration India, to promote implementation and uptake of Business and Human rights related interventions among Indian businesses, with the following objectives:

  • Understand the role of VSS in the Business & Human Rights (BHR) landscape and agenda in India
  • Align work of VSS organisations with priorities of the National Action Plan for India
  • Strengthen the role of VSS organisations in promoting capacity on BHR related interventions among businesses

The workshop focused on enhancing understanding of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), and how they align with the existing national frameworks and their relevance. Furthermore, it also explored ways and approaches in which VSS organisations can work together to pursue Business & Human Rights (BHR) outcomes pertaining to – policy, knowledge and capacity building.

Read the full report here

Sixth Meeting, VSS Collaboration India, 23rd November 2020

Sixth Meeting, VSS Collaboration India, 23rd November 2020

CRB organised a meeting among its VSS working group to conceptualize the ‘VSS Collaboration India’ initiative and discuss its Goal/ Purpose, Structure (Governance, Constitution, Steering Committee, Working Groups), Activities (Annual Workplan, Responsibility Allocation, Coordination, Funding), and Roadmap (Theory of Change).

Session on, 'VSS Contributions towards SDGs in India', at CRB's ISS Conference 2020, 29th October 2020

Session on, 'VSS Contributions towards SDGs in India', at CRB's ISS Conference 2020, 29th October 2020

CRB organized a session on, ‘VSS contributions towards SDGs in India’, at its 7th India and Sustainability Standards Conference 2020. The session explored the contribution of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) to SDGs and chalks out a roadmap for VSS organisations in strengthening their contribution to SDGs.

Catch the full conversation here.

Fifth Meeting, COVID19: Challenges & Opportunities for Sustainable Business & VSS Organisations, 2nd July 2020

Fifth Meeting, COVID19: Challenges & Opportunities for Sustainable Business & VSS Organisations, 2nd July 2020

CRB convened the fifth meeting of the VSS Collaboration India (a coalition of VSS organisations working in India) on July 2, 2020. The objective was to discuss and learn from the perspectives and experiences of the VSS organisations over the course of the pandemic and the lockdown.

The discussions covered the following:

  • Understand impacts of COVID19 on business continuity and sustainable business practices in India
  • Discuss COVID19’s impact on VSS organisations & mitigation measures – sharing of experiences
  • To share perspectives and suggestions from VSS organisations to ‘Build Back (Forward) Better’

Read the full report.

Fourth Meeting, VSS Contribution towards SDGs in India, 18th March 2020

Fourth Meeting, VSS Contribution towards SDGs in India, 18th March 2020

A fourth meeting of the VSS coalition was organised on March 18, 2020 on the subject of ‘VSS Contribution towards SDGs in India’ with its broad objective to discuss and share their approaches, experiences and lessons in pursuing various SDGs in India. The meeting was attended by ten VSS organisations. A senior official from NITI Aayog was also present in this meeting. The representatives from different VSS organisations presented various initiatives undertaken by them in India and their alignment with specific SDGs. The participants unanimously recognised SDG17, partnerships and collaboration, as a key to achieving other sectoral/thematic SDGs.

Read the full report.

Third Meeting of VSS Collaboration India, 23rd August 2019

Third Meeting of VSS Collaboration India, 23rd August 2019

On 23 August, 2019 CRB organized the third meeting in New Delhi. The meeting was attended by eight different VSS organizations. The meeting was structured around the following agenda points:

  • Introduction to an Online B2B Marketplace for Sustainable Certified Products (new initiative of CRB)
  • An overview of the CRB 6th Annual Sustainability Conference, 20-22 November, 2019 and various sessions and opportunities for VSS and other organizations to engage/participate
  • ISEAL Alliance’s Standards Credibility Principles Review

Read the full report.

Second Meeting of VSS Collaboration India, 27th May 2019

Second Meeting of VSS Collaboration India, 27th May 2019

The second meeting was held on May 27, 2019 in New Delhi and it focused on the following two issues: (i) Uptake of Sustainability Standards among SMEs and Smallholders – Current Challenges, Supporting Factors and Existing Good Practices (ii) Engagement on Policy issues with relevant Government Agencies – Who? What? How?

Some key areas of the discussion were:

  • Uptake of certifications among SMEs
  • Alignment with local context (National Interpretation of Standards)
  • Reducing audits and inspections
  • Creating the market – role of millennial consumers

Read the full report.

First Meeting of VSS Collaboration India, 17th January 2019

First Meeting of VSS Collaboration India, 17th January 2019

The inaugural meeting of CRB’s initiative, ‘Walking Together with VSS in India’ was held on 17th January 2019. Ten organisations participated in the meeting to discuss the opportunities to collaborate on areas of common interests and challenges.

Based on the discussions, the following areas/subjects of common interest emerged from the discussions:

  • Sharing information about various Sustainability Standards among themselves
  • Uptake of Sustainability Standards among SMEs (expansion and achieving scale)
  • Supporting Private Sector companies (buyers) on Supply Chain Transparency and Sustainability
  • Engagement on Policy issues with relevant organs of the government
  • Mindset change and engagement with decision makers (business and government)

Read the full report.

Reports

8th Meeting Report of VSS Collaboration India, 9 February 2022
8th Meeting Report of VSS Collaboration India, 9 February 2022
Fifth Meeting Report of VSS Collaboration India, 2 July 2020
Fifth Meeting Report of VSS Collaboration India, 2 July 2020
Fourth Meeting Report of VSS Collaboration India, 18 Mar 2020
Fourth Meeting Report of VSS Collaboration India, 18 Mar 2020
Third Meeting Report of VSS Collaboration India, 23 Aug 2019
Third Meeting Report of VSS Collaboration India, 23 Aug 2019
Second Meeting Report of VSS Collaboration India, 27 May 2019
Second Meeting Report of VSS Collaboration India, 27 May 2019
First Meeting Report of VSS Collaboration India, 17 Jan 2019
First Meeting Report of VSS Collaboration India, 17 Jan 2019
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Case Study

Fourth Meeting Presentations by VSS Members
Fourth Meeting Presentations by VSS Members
E-Dossier Vol1 of VSS Collaboration India
E-Dossier Vol1 of VSS Collaboration India
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