[pt] O objetivo da dissertação é contribuir para o avanço do conhecimento científico sobre os impactos da certificação de produtos por organismos acreditados em setores industriais selecionados no Brasil, mediante um estudo de casos múltiplos. No contexto institucional no qual a pesquisa se insere, considera-se que um sistema concebido para acreditar serviços de avaliação de conformidade dos Organismos de Avaliação de Conformidade (OAC) deve oferecer confiança aos consumidores e às autoridades reguladoras. A metodologia adotada compreende: (i) pesquisa bibliográfica e documental sobre acreditação, avaliação da conformidade e certificação de produtos; (ii) proposição de um modelo conceitual analítico que integre esses temas, na perspectiva de avaliação dos impactos da certificação de produtos por organismos acreditados em empresas de setores selecionados; (iii) planejamento e condução de entrevistas semi-estruturadas junto a gestores de organismos de certificação de produtos (OCP) e empresas selecionadas; (iv) elaboração de estudo de casos múltiplos; e (v) formulação de recomendações para as entidades envolvidas e interessadas na pesquisa. Destacam-se como resultados um modelo conceitual para avaliação dos impactos da certificação de produtos por organismos acreditados e um conjunto consistente de impulsionadores-chave e indicadores operacionais para medição dos impactos da certificação de produtos por organismos acreditados. / [en] The objective of this dissertation is to contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge about the impacts of product certification by accredited organisms in selected industrial sectors, through a multiple case study in Brazil. In the institutional context in which this research is situated, it is assumed that accreditation plays a crucial role in achieving confidence and trust between suppliers and consumers, as well as regulatory authorities. The research methodology encompasses: (i) bibliographical and documental review on accreditation, conformity assessment and product certification; (ii) design of a conceptual model that integrates the referred themes, within the perspective of future application in companies from selected industrial sectors in Brazil; (iii) design, conduction, and scoring of semi-structured interviews with managers of selected accredited organisms and companies; (iv) development of a multiple case study focusing on these selected companies; and (v) formulation of suggestions for future research and application in other sectors in Brazil. The main results can be summarized as follows: a conceptual model for evaluating the impacts of product certification by accredited organisms; and a consistent set of key drivers and operational indicators for measuring the impacts of product certification by accredited organisms.

[pt] Com base na regressão numérica de séries históricas associadas à produção de quatro produtos destacados no ranking mundial de produção (cimento, aço, pneus e carroceria de ônibus), a presente pesquisa de mestrado avalia os impactos econômicos decorrentes do processo da certificação. Considerada instrumento econômico de mercado que permite diferenciar produtos e fornecer incentivos para consumidores e produtores, o processo de certificação é um mecanismo formal que assegura qualidade e conformidade do produto a especificações técnicas previamente estabelecidas, permitindo disponibilizar um certificado que efetivamente denota conformidade do produto e sua adequação ao uso, criando condições mercadológicas favoráveis para facilitar sua comercialização em mercados externos mais competitivos. Como contribuição do trabalho são também analisadas as interfaces da certificação com a metrologia, com a normalização e com a avaliação da conformidade, entendidas como funções complementares da tecnologia industrial, a serviço do desenvolvimento da competitividade e da melhoria contínua de serviços e produtos, da redução do desperdício, da agregação de maior eficácia técnica e econômica e da redução de barreiras técnicas ao comércio, assim preconizando a máxima um único ensaio, baseado numa única norma, documentada por um único certificado, de credibilidade e aceitação mundial. Tendo em vista a abundante evidência teórica que considera a certificação uma ferramenta de competitividade e de intercâmbio tecnológico no nível macroeconômico da produção, o estudo empírico conduzido, beneficiando-se de um método estatístico de regressão processado pelo clássico programa econométrico EViews, inclui a certificação como uma variável dummy no processo de regressão, permitindo a mensuração dos impactos econômicos desejados. Foi demonstrado que a certificação possui influência positiva na produção, permitindo-se assegurar, com um nível de significância de 0,05, ou seja, com uma probabilidade de 95 por cento, que o processo de certificação no Brasil impactou: (i) 41,6 por cento na produção de cimento (de 1970 a 2002, tendo a certificação sido implementada em junho/1994), (ii) 15,2 por cento na produção de aço (de 1980 a 2002, tendo a certificação sido implementada em janeiro/1997); (iii) 20,8 por cento na produção de pneus (de 1970 a 2002, tendo a certificação sido implementada em maio/1996); (iv) 31,4 por cento na produção de carrocerias de ônibus (de 1980 a 2002, tendo a certificação sido implementada em janeiro/1993); e assim ficando demonstrado o impacto da certificação avaliada pelo método estatístico de regressão, que também caracteriza o desempenho dos produtos investigados. / [en] Based on a numerical regression of time series associated to the production of four products highly ranked in the production world market (steel, cement, bus shell and tires), the present Master research evaluates the economic impacts associated with the process of certification. Considered an effective economic instrument, useful to differentiate products and to provide incentives to consumers and producers, the certification process is a formal instrument that assures quality and conformity of the product to technical specifications previously established, making available a certificate that effectively denote conformity of the product and its adequacy to the use, creating favorable marketing conditions and facilitating its commercialization in more competitive external markets. As an indirect contribution, the thesis also analyze the interfaces of the certification with metrology, documentary standarization and with conformity assessment, understood as complementary functions of the basic industrial technology, serving the development of the competitiveness and the continuous improvement of services and products, the reduction of wastefulness, the aggregation of greater technical and economic effectiveness and of the reduction of technical barriers to trade, thus underpinning the well accepted principle a single test, based on a single documentary standard, documented in a single certificate, internationally accepted. In view of the abundant theoretical evidence that considers the certification a tool of competitiveness and technological interchange in the macroeconomic level of the production, the lead empirical study, benefiting itself of a statistical method of regression processed for the classic econometrical program EViews, it includes the certification as an variable dummy in the regression process, allowing the quantitative evaluation of the desired economic impacts. It was demonstrated that the certification possess positive influence in the production, allowing itself to assure with a level of significance of 0,05, that is, with a 95 percent probability, that the process of certification in Brazil has impacted: (i) 15.2 percent in the steel production (since 1980 to 2002, having the certification been implemented in January/1997); (ii) 20.8 percent in the production of tires (since 1970 to 2002, having the certification been implemented in May/1996); (iii) 31.4 percent in the production of bus shells (since 1980 to 2002, having the certification been implemented in January/1993); e (iv) 41.6 percent in the cement production (since 1970 to 2002, having the certification been implemented in June/1994), thus being demonstrated the impact of the certification evaluated by the regression method used, characterizing the performance of the investigated products.

The thesis is focused on product certification of fireplace insert. There is described process of combustion of solid fuel and construction of fireplace insert with hot-water exchanger. The compilation of legislative requirements is compiled and confirmed by authorized test laboratory, and declaration of performance with production label with CE sign are made. In the next part, the emission requirements of European market are described, including future coming European directive. The energy label for certified product is designed.

The thesis is focused on product certification of fireplace insert. There is described process of combustion of solid fuel and construction of fireplace insert with hot-water exchanger. The compilation of legislative requirements is compiled and confirmed by authorized test laboratory, and declaration of performance with production label with CE sign are made. In the next part, the emission requirements of European market are described, including future coming European directive. The energy label for certified product is designed.

Product labelling schemes have become one of the most prominently used instruments to facilitate more Sustainable Consumption and Production. But with a plethora of labelling schemes having been implemented, many now accuse them of being confusing rather than facilitating. As a result, governments in France, UK and Germany, as well as businesses, such as Walmart, and non-governmental organisations, like WWF, have begun to consider seriously the implementation of some form of ‘Sustainability Meta Label’ that condenses existing product-labels and other communication measures into a more coherent overarching scheme. Yet so far, in depth studies on the potential institutionalisation of a Sustainability Meta Labelling Scheme are missing.Based on case study research of four existing product labelling schemes (EU eco, EU energy, Fairtrade and MSC label), this study addresses this gap by developing a novel theoretical framework to study the causalities behind product labelling institutionalisation processes. Combining theoretical arguments of constructivist institutionalism and institutional entrepreneurship with concepts of legitimacy from the governance and organisational studies literature, this framework establishes the institutionalisation of product labelling schemes as contingent on an interactive legitimacy construction between actors involved in the initiation and organisational structures of a labelling scheme and other actors within the production and consumption system. This construction tends to cluster around aspects of tradition, regulation, charisma, knowledge, consequences, and procedures.By concretizing this framework in the context of the studied cases, it is shown how legitimacy constructions are highly complex and how in particular procedural and consequential legitimacy can give rise to fundamental conflicts. The potentially large scope, focus and area of application of a Sustainability Meta Label with the need to find agreements in regard to the very contested notion of Sustainable Development, seems to make the task of managing such conflicts even more difficult. While the mobilisation of knowledge, traditional, regulatory and charismatic logics can circumvent some of these conflicts, they have also demonstrated to be anything but a silver bullet. In a sense, this study shows that the very issue that is claimed to drive the establishment of a Sustainability Meta Labelling Scheme-the different interpretations of the Sustainable Development concept through different product labels-might in fact pose one of the main challenges for its institutionalisation and effectiveness in facilitating more Sustainable Consumption and Production.With these findings this study makes important contributions not only to an increasingly prominent policy making discussion but also to the wider product labelling and new institutional literature. After further empirical testing, the developed theoretical framework could guide future research into the institutionalisation of product labelling schemes and potentially also other ordering mechanisms. While the focus of this study is on commonalities across product labelling schemes such further research could especially expand on how micro, meso, and macro level factors can shape institutionalisation processes in diverse ways.

Forest and product certification was initially promoted as a means of enhancing sustainable management of forests in the tropics. However after almost two decades, there is still very little evidence of certified timber products originating from tropical countries. A number of approaches have been suggested to enhance the growth of forest certification in the tropics. These approaches such as that of the Forest Stewardship Council, Global Forest Trade Network of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Sustainable Forest Initiative and various private sector initiatives have all failed to facilitate forest certification. Therefore to enhance the development of forest certification in Ghana, the research work amongst others, draws on experiences in certification from other sectors such as cocoa, fisheries, tourism and oil palm to develop a model for promoting forest certification in Ghana. The research work uses elements identified in the literature review in developing a questionnaire for the survey of timber firms in Ghana. The research work identified stakeholder consultations, legal framework, resource rights, and the regulation of the domestic market as key elements for promoting forest certification in Ghana. The research recommends a phased approach to promoting forest certification with the first phase being verification of legality that adopts the European Union Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) and the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) initiative. The study identifies this approach not only as a means of reducing cost to the private sector in pursuing forest certification but a means of drawing on support measures to enhance the regulation of the domestic market; a key component for promoting forest certification. The report argues that it is only through a well regulated domestic market can tropical timber producing countries achieve sustainable forest management and hence forest certification. The domestic market is therefore seen as a strong means of promoting certification since it will be internalised in the producing countries. None of the research on certification has so far identified the domestic market as a key factor to promoting forest certification and the research work argues that the slow pace of certification has been the lack of demand for certified products on the domestic market. Developing the domestic market is therefore seen as a key policy instrument for promoting the uptake of forest certification in Ghana and the tropics in general.