Gobernanza y estándares privados en el sector agroexportador en Costa Rica
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Resumen
La presente nota técnica analiza las principales normas y certificaciones técnicas adoptadas por el sector agroexportador costarricense en el contexto de la creciente regulación privada del comercio agroalimentario internacional. A diferencia de los sellos visibles al consumidor final, el análisis se centra en estándares que operan como requisitos contractuales entre empresas y que inciden en la gestión organizacional, la inocuidad, la sostenibilidad ambiental y la responsabilidad social. Se sistematizan sistemas de gestión de calidad y ambiente, certificaciones de buenas prácticas agrícolas, esquemas de inocuidad reconocidos internacionalmente y protocolos de responsabilidad social y auditoría ética. El análisis muestra que estas normas funcionan como mecanismos de gestión de riesgos, trazabilidad, reducción de asimetrías de información y coordinación dentro de cadenas globales de valor. Asimismo, se discuten sus implicaciones económicas y los desafíos asociados a los costos de cumplimiento, particularmente para pequeñas y medianas empresas. Este trabajo contribuye a comprender el papel de los estándares privados como instrumentos de gobernanza y competitividad en las cadenas agroexportadoras de Costa Rica.
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