CURRENT PROJECTS

Governance Implications of Private Standards Initiatives in Agrifood Chains
Anne Tallontire, Valerie Nelson and Adrienne Martin will soon start working with Maggie Opondo on a ESRC-DFID funded research project entitled Governance Implications of Private Standards Initiatives in Agrifood Chains.
A related flyer entitled The Politics of Private Standards [PDF 2.6Mb] is available.

RECENT PROJECTS

Ethical issues in the Jewellery Trade
We have recently completed research commissioned by the CRED Foundation, partly funded by DFID, to identify key social, environmental and ethical issues in the jewellery supply chain. The report, Towards an Ethical Jewellery Business, is phase 1 of a study that aims to assist industry bodies in identifying how to integrate ethical considerations into their activities. We are currently developing phase 2, which will involve field work in countries where mining and processing of precious metals and gemstones take place
An executive summary of the the report is also available.

Impact assessment of codes of practice
We are conducting in-depth research focusing on the Kenyan flower and South African wine industries over a three year period (more...)

Ethical trade and forest-dependent people
Examining the advantages to Southern producers of different approaches to ethical trade Developing methodologies for promoting ethical trade that benefits forest communities Informing key stakeholders in the forest sector of the latest development affecting responsible business Developing a Manual Ethical Trade, People and Forests (more...)

Gender Issues in Labour Codes of Practice
Overview of gender issues in export horticulture Mapping of the gender content of codes of conduct in African Horticulture Analysis of how ethical trade can enhance the economic and social rights of women and men workers Identification of best practice in implementing gender-sensitive ethical trade based on worker and stakeholder participation (more...)

Smallholder Export Horticulture
Working with the horticulture industry to identify best practice for smallholders in export horticulture, and viable extension systems to educate smallholders (more...)

Ethical trade and export horticulture
Working with Southern stakeholders to identify social and environmental standards for the horticulture industry Working with Northern and Southern stakeholders to develop affordable, effective systems for managing ethical supply chains Building networks between Northern and Southern horticulture businesses Identifying awareness building needs of Northern stakeholders

Social Dimensions of Business Practice Resource Centre
Management advice to the Centre Pilot project on building partnerships for better ethical supply chain management (Value Chain Study)

Economic analysis of social standards
Informing industry about the real costs of adopting core labour standards and other social performance standards

EU Pesticide Legislation
Policy advice to the British government on the preventing negative impacts for African farmers resulting from recent EU pesticide legislation

Best Practice Benchmarking
Benchmarking of national standards of good social and environmental practice against international best practice

Exotic Fruit from the Caribbean
Scoping the potential for introducing a holistic approach to socially and environmentally beneficial production of exotic fruit in the Caribbean (pending)