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Creating Legitimacy in the ISO/CEN Standard for Sustainable and Traceable Cocoa: An Exploratory Case Study Integrating Normative and Empirical Legitimacy

Author

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  • Dina Kusnezowa

    (Department of Management, Society and Communication, Copenhagen Business School Alumni, 2000 Copenhagen, Denmark)

  • Jan Vang

    (Section of Global Sustainable Production, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark)

Abstract

The paper assesses the legitimacy of the ISO/CEN standard for sustainable and traceable cocoa during the standard-setting process and thereby to establish the degree of legitimacy achieved and to explore new sources of legitimacy in the development of sustainability standards for agricultural commodities. The paper examines the normative and empirical legitimacy concerns involved in the development of the ISO/CEN standard for sustainable and traceable cocoa (ISO 34101 series). The findings suggest that while the standard-setting organisation is establishing normative legitimacy, empirical legitimacy is lacking. Absence of empirical legitimacy is a serious concern for a successful and just implementation.

Suggested Citation

  • Dina Kusnezowa & Jan Vang, 2021. "Creating Legitimacy in the ISO/CEN Standard for Sustainable and Traceable Cocoa: An Exploratory Case Study Integrating Normative and Empirical Legitimacy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-21, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:22:p:12907-:d:684876
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    References listed on IDEAS

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