Progress and pitfalls: A systematic review of the evidence for agricultural sustainability standards

Over the last decade, there have been increasing calls for robust impact evaluations of voluntary agricultural sustainability standards (VSS). In response, this study reviews the literature regarding 13 major agricultural standards, asking: where are certified crops being studied? Which sustainability outcomes and indicators are measured? And finally, what does the current evidence base suggest about VSS outcomes? The analysis of 45 peer-reviewed articles suggests a mismatch between what is certified and what is studied.