none 10.19103/AS.2024.0133.34 Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited 8180 168529864 5486496 2242117 20241209100614048 10.19103 2026-04-01T13:50:44Z 2024-12-09T05:06:18Z 0 20596936 University of Lincoln Louise Manning There is increasing scrutiny of the safety, environmental and social impact of food production. However, the complexity of modern agri-food supply chains has significantly complicated the process of setting and enforcing appropriate standards. The thematic scope of standards has also expanded from its original focus on safety and quality to cover social responsibility and ethical trading, animal welfare, environmental sustainability, biodiversity loss and nature-related risks. Finally, the range of stakeholders involved in setting and monitoring standards governing agri-food supply chains has proliferated, from official national, regional and international bodies to non-government organisations (NGOs), the food industry itself and now the investment sector concerned to ensure their clients meet environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards. Improving standards and certification in agri-food supply chains: Ensuring safety, sustainability and social responsibility comprehensively addresses the challenges raised by this complex picture and features contributions from leading international experts from the Codex Alimentarius Commission and the Rainforest Alliance. The book discusses how to reconcile the roles of different stakeholders in standard setting, how changes in governance and technology can improve accountability, as well as the different ways of enhancing good agricultural practices (GAP) to meet new ways of producing food. The book also discusses the challenges and solutions in achieving effective standards promoting more socially responsible production and how best to address emerging practices to improve environmental sustainability such as regenerative agriculture. 12 12 2025 12 12 2025 9781801464512 Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited 10.19103/AS.2024.0133 https://shop.bdspublishing.com/store/bds/detail/workgroup/3-190-136379 Wageningen University & Research E. M. De Olde K. McGarr-O'Brien Wageningen University & Research and Teagasc Despite increasing urgency and pressure from stakeholders to increase the sustainability of livestock production systems, little research has so far been carried out on the role of sustainability standards. Standards are perceived as a promising way forward in the transition towards more sustainable modes of production. In this chapter we apply a transition theory lens to sustainability standards in the dairy sector and identify progress towards more sustainable production. Analysis of the literature and in-depth interviews with dairy sustainability standard representatives highlight the increased pressure to prove sustainability claims of standards. Meanwhile, standards need to balance providing stability and accessibility to their producers while also allowing continuous improvement. While there is no one pathway toward sustainable development, it is clear that standards will continue to evolve, and their acceptance by farmers and consumers, and contribution to sustainability, will depend upon the pressures exerted on them by stakeholders with diverse interests. 12 12 2025 12 12 2025 195 222 10.19103/AS.2024.0133.34 https://www.bdspublishing.com/webshop/chapters/crops/agri-food-systems/supply-chain-management/the-role-of-standards-in-improving-the-sustainability-of-livestock-production-current-challenges-and-future-perspectives/ https://link.springer.com/10.19103/AS.2024.0133.34