IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/reggov/v9y2015i3p276-293.html

Correlates of rigorous and credible transnational governance: A cross‐sectoral analysis of best practice compliance in eco‐labeling

Author

Listed:
  • Hamish van der Ven

Abstract

The number of eco‐labeling schemes is rising dramatically, yet the rigor and credibility of such schemes remains uneven. Whereas some eco‐labeling organizations (ELOs) comply with best practice guidelines designed to increase the credibility of their standards through attention to good operating principles, such as transparency and impartiality, others do not. Within this article, I attempt to explain this variation through multivariate regression analysis of an original cross‐sectoral dataset of transnational ELO policies and practices. I find compelling evidence to suggest that ELOs with environmental non‐governmental organization (ENGO) partners, nonprofit structures, or broad transnational reach are most likely to comply with best practices. I also find that private ELOs are more likely to disregard best practices than public ones. Conversely, I find little evidence that levels of industry funding or sector‐specific competition dynamics affect best practice compliance. This study contributes new data, a new method of comparison, and new findings to the growing literature on transnational governance.

Suggested Citation

  • Hamish van der Ven, 2015. "Correlates of rigorous and credible transnational governance: A cross‐sectoral analysis of best practice compliance in eco‐labeling," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 9(3), pages 276-293, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:reggov:v:9:y:2015:i:3:p:276-293
    DOI: 10.1111/rego.12092
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/rego.12092
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/rego.12092?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Elisabeth Corell & Michele M. Betsill, 2001. "A Comparative Look at NGO Influence in International Environmental Negotiations: Desertification and Climate Change," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 1(4), pages 86-107, November.
    2. Liliana B. Andonova & Michele M. Betsill & Harriet Bulkeley, 2009. "Transnational Climate Governance," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 9(2), pages 52-73, May.
    3. Luc Fransen & Brian Burgoon, 2012. "A market for worker rights: Explaining business support for international private labour regulation," Review of International Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(2), pages 236-266.
    4. Lars H. Gulbrandsen & Steinar Andresen, 2004. "NGO Influence in the Implementation of the Kyoto Protocol: Compliance, Flexibility Mechanisms, and Sinks," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 4(4), pages 54-75, November.
    5. Fuchs Doris & Kalfagianni Agni, 2010. "The Causes and Consequences of Private Food Governance," Business and Politics, De Gruyter, vol. 12(3), pages 1-36, October.
    6. Fuchs, Doris & Kalfagianni, Agni, 2010. "The Causes and Consequences of Private Food Governance," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(3), pages 1-34, October.
    7. Christopher F Baum, 2008. "Stata tip 63: Modeling proportions," Stata Journal, StataCorp LLC, vol. 8(2), pages 299-303, June.
    8. Camfferman, Kees & Zeff, Stephen A., 2007. "Financial Reporting and Global Capital Markets: A History of the International Accounting Standards Committee, 1973-2000," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199296293.
    9. Thomas Hale & Charles Roger, 2014. "Orchestration and transnational climate governance," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 59-82, March.
    10. Kenneth Abbott & Duncan Snidal, 2010. "International regulation without international government: Improving IO performance through orchestration," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 5(3), pages 315-344, September.
    11. Mayer, Frederick & Gereffi, Gary, 2010. "Regulation and Economic Globalization: Prospects and Limits of Private Governance," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(3), pages 1-25, October.
    12. Mayer Frederick & Gereffi Gary, 2010. "Regulation and Economic Globalization: Prospects and Limits of Private Governance," Business and Politics, De Gruyter, vol. 12(3), pages 1-27, October.
    13. David L. Levy & Peter J. Newell, 2002. "Business Strategy and International Environmental Governance: Toward a Neo-Gramscian Synthesis," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 2(4), pages 84-101, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Paulo Mortara Batistic & Thomas Dietz & Jan Börner & Yannic Rudá Damm, 2025. "Explaining compliance with voluntary sustainability standards: A case study from Colombia's coffee belt," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(1), pages 1417-1440, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Burkard Eberlein & Kenneth W. Abbott & Julia Black & Errol Meidinger & Stepan Wood, 2014. "Transnational business governance interactions: Conceptualization and framework for analysis," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 8(1), pages 1-21, March.
    2. Jens Heidingsfelder & Markus Beckmann, 2020. "A governance puzzle to be solved? A systematic literature review of fragmented sustainability governance," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 70(3), pages 355-390, August.
    3. Janina Grabs & Graeme Auld & Benjamin Cashore, 2021. "Private regulation, public policy, and the perils of adverse ontological selection," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(4), pages 1183-1208, October.
    4. Agni Kalfagianni, 2014. "Addressing the Global Sustainability Challenge: The Potential and Pitfalls of Private Governance from the Perspective of Human Capabilities," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 122(2), pages 307-320, June.
    5. Jung, Suhyun & Polasky, Stephen, 2018. "Partnerships to prevent deforestation in the Amazon," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 498-516.
    6. Wenlong He & Wei Yang & Seong-jin Choi, 2018. "The Interplay Between Private and Public Regulations: Evidence from ISO 14001 Adoption Among Chinese Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 152(2), pages 477-497, October.
    7. Kate Barclay & Alice Miller, 2018. "The Sustainable Seafood Movement Is a Governance Concert, with the Audience Playing a Key Role," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-20, January.
    8. Benjamin Cashore & Jette Steen Knudsen & Jeremy Moon & Hamish van der Ven, 2021. "Private authority and public policy interactions in global context: Governance spheres for problem solving," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(4), pages 1166-1182, October.
    9. Büthe Tim, 2010. "Global Private Politics: A Research Agenda," Business and Politics, De Gruyter, vol. 12(3), pages 1-26, October.
    10. Francesca Colli & Johan Adriaensen, 2020. "Lobbying the state or the market? A framework to study civil society organizations’ strategic behavior," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 14(3), pages 501-513, July.
    11. repec:osf:marxiv:wpr8k_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Büthe Tim, 2010. "Private Regulation in the Global Economy: A (P)Review," Business and Politics, De Gruyter, vol. 12(3), pages 1-40, October.
    13. Jette Knudsen, 2013. "The Growth of Private Regulation of Labor Standards in Global Supply Chains: Mission Impossible for Western Small- and Medium-Sized Firms?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 117(2), pages 387-398, October.
    14. repec:nam:befdwp:9 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Lasse Folke Henriksen & Stefano Ponte, 2018. "Public orchestration, social networks, and transnational environmental governance: Lessons from the aviation industry," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 12(1), pages 23-45, March.
    16. Emilie Bécault & Axel Marx, 2015. "International Climate Finance to developing countries. Taking stock of the variety of bilateral, private and hybrid financing initiatives," BeFinD Working Papers 0109, University of Namur, Department of Economics.
    17. Sandra Moog & André Spicer & Steffen Böhm, 2015. "The Politics of Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives: The Crisis of the Forest Stewardship Council," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 128(3), pages 469-493, May.
    18. Mintao Nie, 2023. "IOs’ selective adoption of NGO information: Evidence from the Universal Periodic Review," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 27-59, January.
    19. Meier, Leonie, 2017. "Beating the Microbead: How private environmental governance has influenced the regulatory process of banning microbeads in the UK," MarXiv wpr8k, Center for Open Science.
    20. Lilac Nachum, 2021. "Value distribution and markets for social justice in global value chains: Interdependence relationships and government policy," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(4), pages 541-563, December.
    21. Christine Moser & Sina Leipold, 2021. "Toward “hardened” accountability? Analyzing the European Union's hybrid transnational governance in timber and biofuel supply chains," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(1), pages 115-132, January.
    22. Daniel Witte, 2020. "Business for Climate: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Policy Support from Transnationa