Leveraging the Vertical: The Contested Dynamics of Sustainability Standards and Labour in Global Production Networks
通过比较厄瓜多尔两家认证农村企业，研究发现供应商可利用可持续性标准从垂直关系中创造价值，但标准本身不直接改善劳工条件，只有供应商在精英市场具备竞争力时才能间接带来改善，反而加剧了贸易不平等。
Abstract Sustainability standards for tropical agriculture promise better trade and fairer labour conditions for smallholders. Recent research on labour suggests that, besides such standards, configurations of buyer–supplier relationships crucially shape economic and labour conditions. However, a static configurational approach overlooks the role of supplier and labour agency over time. Using a matched case comparison of two certified rural enterprises in Ecuador, this article shows that suppliers can leverage standards to create value from vertical relationships with buyers. However, standards do not, by themselves, directly contribute to better conditions. They do so indirectly only if suppliers manage to become competitive in an elite market, augmenting rather than dampening unequal trade conditions. This study contributes to recent theory seeking to explain uneven labour outcomes with sustainability standards in global production networks.