Cristina Larrea is Lead, Sustainability Standards for the Economic Law and Policy Program. She has 15 years of experience working in the fields of economic inclusion and sustainability with vulnerable populations in developing countries, including women, Indigenous People and agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises.
Her career path includes seven years of fieldwork with rainforest community-based organizations in Chiapas, Mexico, leading initiatives for sustainable natural resources management in agroforestry systems (coffee, timber, corn, livestock), while supporting agribusiness development and market access of local enterprises
In previous roles, Cristina contributed to the creation of an internationally recognized framework to measure the social, economic and environmental impacts of financial transactions in agricultural enterprises and has authored and co-authored a number of publications in the field of sustainable development, including evaluation of public policy.
Prior to joining IISD, Cristina had served as the Senior Project Developer Consultant with the Global Green Growth Institute, Senior Project Manager with the Finance Alliance for Sustainable Trade and as Regional Director for a local partner of Oxfam in Mexico.
Cristina is fluent is English, French and Spanish.
All Publications
- Global Market Report: Cotton
Report - June 30, 2020
This report examines how voluntary sustainability standards are performing in the cotton sector. - Global Market Report: Bananas
Report - May 20, 2020
This report examines how voluntary sustainability standards are used to promote sustainable development in the banana sector. - Can Palm Oil Be More Sustainable?
Blog - May 13, 2020
Palm oil has become synonymous with deforestation and biodiversity loss. It's also the most consumed edible oil in the world. Can we make it sustainable? - Global Market Report: Palm Oil
Report - April 27, 2020
This report examines how voluntary sustainability standards can mitigate some of the worst environmental impacts of producing palm oil, the world’s most consumed edible oil. - Expert Consultation with Financial Service Providers: Understanding the sustainability issues agricultural producers need to consider to be investment ready and access finance
Report - March 24, 2020
This paper presents the results of a consultation that IISD's State of Sustainability Initiatives (SSI) conducted with over 50 financial service providers in order to better understand the risks and sustainability issues that they consider relevant when assessing finance requests from agricultural producers. - Global Market Report: Sugar
Report - January 29, 2020
Voluntary sustainability standard sugar production is on the rise with continued growth expected. - Global Market Report: Tea
Report - December 17, 2019
Global demand for tea is growing despite sustainability challenges. - Global Market Report: Cocoa
Report - November 21, 2019
Western Europe and developing economies in Asia are driving demand for cocoa but farm risks may affect supply in the long-term - Sustainability and Voluntary Certification in the Kenyan Tea Sector
Report - July 19, 2019
IISD convened key representatives from all segments of the Kenyan tea value chain for a multistakeholder meeting of the sector, held on March 6, 2019, in Nairobi, Kenya. - Sustainability and Voluntary Certification in the Rwandan Coffee Sector
Report - July 19, 2019
IISD co-facilitated a workshop on voluntary sustainability standards in Rwanda's coffee sector February 28, 2019. - Global Market Report: Coffee
Report - June 3, 2019
Voluntary sustainability standard-compliant coffee production is increasing at a higher rate than the overall sector, with significant growth coming from least-developed countries. - How Can Sustainability Standards Contribute to Empowering Women’s Food Security?
Blog - March 21, 2019
Food security is an intersectional issue and development organizations can use voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) to contribute to empowering women’s food security in agriculture. - Can Food Labelling Improvements Reduce Obesity? Belgium Says Yes.
Blog - September 27, 2018
OECD countries have an obesity problem, but the early results of food label change offer hope. - Leveraging Sustainable Markets for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development
Brochure - September 12, 2018
IISD launched the Leveraging Sustainable Markets for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development project, facilitating poverty reduction among marginalized commodity producers by enabling more strategic and proactive entry into value-added sustainable markets for less-developed countries.