“Fair Trade Certified. Certified Organic. Non-GMO. Certified Humane–we’re used to seeing these labels scattered over products touting their ethical and environmental backgrounds.
But the brands and farmers meeting these standards often feel “like scouts with a sash full of merit badges,” says Jeff Moyer, president of the Rodale Institute, which advocates for organic farming practices. Rodale is one of a handful of organizations working with the natural soap brand Dr. Bronner’s and Patagonia to roll out a new sustainability standard, which Dr. Bronner’s president Mike Bronner calls “one standard to rule them all,” because it will incorporate best practices from pre-existing standards–as well as new criteria–into one certification.”