On this page, we bring together our constantly developing thinking on Trade and Sustainability and new ways for bringing together a variety of experts and communities.

Our contribution

TPH has been at the forefront of analysing trade policy issues from an interdisciplinary perspective, introducing an inclusivity and diversity lens to conducting and communicating studies. 

We have delivered across three dimensions:



Analysing the economic, social, environmental and human rights dimensions of free trade agreements and other policy activities.

Developing new approaches and tools to identify the linkages between trade and sustainability concerns.

Championing inclusivity and diversity in the conduct of trade policy and analysis surrounding negotiations.

Our aim is to continue developing these dimensions as well as:

• providing a new look at how far we have integrated sustainability in different aspects of trade policy via our short courses; and
• pooling our network of academic and policy experts to develop new approaches via our initiatives.

Short Courses

TPH is pleased to kick off a new series of short courses in the form of videos, building on our key benefits. We provide lecture-style content with three overarching aims: 

• Knowledge: Recalling and restating a key puzzle in the field of trade and investment policy from a sustainability angle;
• Comprehension: Identifying the political economy and sustainability implications of specific aspects of the global economy; 
• Analysis: Providing the tools to analyse government policies and their impacts and appraise existing trends. 

This is a new initiative aimed at advanced students with keen interest in trade, policy makers covering trade but also related fields (i.e. agriculture, energy, foreign policy), business professionals and business owners, and civil society. The course identifies the key learning objectives and allows for linkages to other materials and course by the School.  

Short Course 1  |  Global Value Chains and Sustainability

Video Short Course 1: Global Value Chains and Sustainability

Context and Speakers

What does making global value chains more sustainable entail? Who is responsible to mainstream sustainability and how can one police that?

To tell us what this means we have with us Dr Stephen Woolcock. Steve has taught international political economy, trade and economic diplomacy at the LSE since 1999. He has spent his career has focused on bridging the gap between academic and policy work as well as building the knowledge for numerous civil servants across the globe. His ongoing research has been on the regulation of integrating markets, especially in the context of preferential and multilateral trade and investment agreements.

Learning objectives

• Knowledge: Recalling the key characteristics of global value chains and their governance; 
• Comprehension: Identifying the challenges to making global value chains more sustainable; 
• Analysis: Distinguish the political economy effects of global value chains and understand the actions taken by governments within the global economy.  

Further reading

What's the Impact of Investing in Trade and Supply Chain Finance?

Vulnerabilities of Supply Chains Post-Brexit

Comparative Analysis of TSD Provisions for Identification of Best Practices to Support the TSD Review

Short Course 2  |  Sustainable Public Procurement

Video Short Course 2: Sustainable Public Procurement

Context and Speakers

Has global public procurement become more sustainable? How government policies have aided the climate transformation as well as other sustainability objectives? While Green Public Procurement has become part of regular government activities, the broader spectre of sustainability is harder to accommodate. To tell us about the trade-offs, we have here Dr Stephen Woolcock. He has worked on public procurement and the integration of public procurement commitments in FTA for over 20 years. While a lot of students of trade find that topic slightly dry, Steve makes us realise its relevance for global movement of goods and services worldwide.

Learning objectives

• Knowledge: Recalling the key characteristics of international public procurement;  
• Comprehension: Identifying the challenges to making public procurement more sustainable;  
• Analysis: Distinguish the elements of ‘good’ procurement practice and debating the application of this criteria to a real-life example.  

Further reading

Public procurement in EU PTAs

Sustainability Impact Assessment in Support of the Association Agreement Negotiations between the European Union and Mercosur

Initiatives

Trade Implementation and Enforcement Research (TIER) Network

The TIER Network was set up in November 2021 and it was awarded its first grant in December 2021 as a UACES Research Network (RN).

UACES (University Association for Contemporary European Studies) is the global membership organisation for academics, students and practitioners who are interested in all aspects of Europe and the European Union. However, the TIER network has been set up with the explicit idea to have a global coverage and strengthen communication across reforms in different geographies and contexts.

We hope to use the initial UACES support, which is up to 5,000 GBP over three years, as a springboard for further funding to ensure the sustainability of the network.

Benefits of a TIER membership

• CONNECT to researchers, policy makers, experts across different organisations, as well as across different geographies
• SHARE your experience, research, and activities with the network and the wider public through workshops, events, conferences, and annual receptions
• SUPPORT academics and starting researchers in their journey and receive support
• SOURCE and go to repository for research on the topic

For more information about the TIER network, click here.
To register for a TIER membership, click here.