Tobacco is grown and processed around the world, under very diverse geographic, socio-economic and cultural conditions. With this in mind, the CORESTA Sustainability in Leaf Tobacco Production Task Force was established in 2012 to produce a Guide designed to capture the sustainable tobacco production practices implemented by its members, delivering the dimensions of environmental integrity, economic resilience, social wellbeing and governance. The guidelines focus on four key areas: governance, agronomy, curing and livelihoods. The scope of these guidelines covers sustainable tobacco production through the responsible management of tobacco growing and complements the Guide No. 3.

The Guide No. 17 was revised by the CORESTA Agronomy and Leaf Integrity & Phytopathology and Genetics (Agro-Phyto) Study Group and the updated version published in February 2024.