Taking stock: An inventory study of quality assurance systems' contributions to poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation. Background report to the conference Making Quality Systems work for Poverty Alleviation, Biodiversity Conservation and Compagny Performance

The aim of the report is to inform a discussion among stakeholders on how to make quality assurance systems work for the major development impact areas: poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation. The Biodiversity Fund selected five quality assurance systems operational in niche and mainstream markets for the investigation: the Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO), the European regulations on organic production of agricultural products and foodstuffs (2092/91 and 834/2007), the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Utz Certified