Globally, no institution is mandated to support developing countries respond to this challenge. The scoping study found that an array of multilateral, national, NGO and business initiatives currently exist - in many cases delivering useful results. But these are often small-scale, limited in terms of sectoral scope or types of participants. To deliver genuine benefits to developing country exporters, the study concluded that a dedicated organisation is required that brings together four key attributes:
- practical experience with export promotion;
- expertise in sustainability issues;
- technical competence in innovation; and, crucially
- developing country leadership.
The Sustainable Trade and Innovation Centre aims to fill this gap. The proposed goal of STIC is to enable developing country exporters to respond, anticipate and ultimately shape the environmental and social dimensions of the market, thereby capturing a greater share of the value-added of trade. This can be achieved in three main ways:
i. information exchange
ii. promoting innovation and strengthening skills
iii. brokering solutions
i. Information Exchange
Practical experience has shown that inadequate information is often a major constraint to both developing country producers and the buyers in developed countries. Very often developing country producers lack information on the multitude of standards and regulations that exist in export markets. This is often accompanied by a lack of knowledge and know how on technological and managerial solutions. On the part of the North too there is inadequate information and understanding, not only of the pressures facing businesses operating in the South, but also of the potential for Southern businesses to meet environmental and social challenges.

Major Groups:
European Partners for the Environment (Belgium)
Internat. Inst. for Sustainable Development (Canada)
Eco-tex Institute (Germany)
Ecoperation-Netherlands (Netherlands)
Internat. Institute for Environment and Devt (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)

UN System:
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) (Switzerland)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (United States of America)

Other intergovernmental organizations:
Commonwealth Science Council (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)

Other:
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (South Africa)