In this article we will explore the ISCC system, a part of your story, your goals, provide an overview of your carbon footprint program and solutions for sustainable supply chains.
History of ISCC
The history of ISCC began in 2006 with a multisectoral dialogue that brought together more than 250 global stakeholders to exchange valuable information on certification needs for the biofuels industry.
The German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) played a vital role in this initial phase, supporting the founding of the ISCC certification scheme through its Renewable Resources Agency(FNR).
After an initial design phase, ISCC carried out pilot projects between 2008 e 2010 that spanned different supply chains. In 2010, the first ISCC certificate was issued and the ISCC Association was created in Berlin. Ended the year with 162 certificates issued and has increased significantly each year since.
In the following years, ISCC has quickly become the main certification system for the EU renewable energy market regulated by RED II (antiga RED). Already in 2012, ISCC responded to the growing demand for credible certification solutions in markets outside the energy sector, establishing your ISCC PLUS standard. currently, ISCC PLUS is widely used in sectors such as packaging and chemicals, but also increasingly for food and feed.
Provide robust certification solutions across regions, commodities and markets have been at the heart of ISCC since its inception. This is reflected by ISCC's sustained commitment to providing and developing robust certification solutions, including all types of bio-based and recycled materials, sustainable aviation fuels (ISCC CORSIA) and the maritime sector, as well as future PtX applications.
ISCC works for a sustainable world
ISCC's mission is to use certification as a tool to reduce GHG emissions and establish sustainable production with fully traceable supply chains, from origin to end user. This will be achieved through the implementation of social criteria, economic and environmental.
We believe sustainable supply chains are crucial to combating the most serious impacts of the climate crisis. Given that greenhouse gas emissions (GEE) are the main contributors to climate change, We also consider the identification and reduction of GHG emissions as an important part of our work.
Our vision is to create a world without deforestation, a truly circular economy and a sustainable bioeconomy that minimizes waste production. Sustainable agriculture that protects lands with high biodiversity and high carbon content and that respects human rights, labor and land will contribute to this vision. By doing so, we aim to develop a resilient economic system and mitigate climate change.
ISCC Objectives
- Implementation of zero deforestation
- Protection of lands with high biodiversity value and high carbon stock
- Soil protection, water and air
- Compliance with human rights, labor and land
- Measuring and reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Traceability across supply chains
Sustainability certification for all raw materials and markets on a global scale!
You are dealing with different raw materials and would like to have just one sustainability certification scheme that covers them all? With ISCC, only one audit is required to supply all raw materials to all markets!
ISCC is a globally applicable sustainability certification system covering all sustainable raw materials, including agricultural and forestry biomass, waste and biogenic waste, circular materials and renewable energy. With currently more than 9.000 certificates valid in more than 130 countries, ISCC is among the largest certification systems in the world.
It was developed through an open, multi-stakeholder process and is managed by an association with more than 250 members, including research institutes and NGOs. Being a no-deforestation standard with a strong commitment to protecting forests, high-carbon lands and biodiversity, ISCC fights for a world where biomass and other raw materials are produced in an environmentally friendly way, socially and economically sustainable.
Transparent provision of information is of great importance to ISCC as a secure and reliable certification system
Therefore, Various information is publicly available on the ISCC website, as ISCC System Documents containing detailed certification and audit requirements, audit guidelines, instructions for System Users on how to participate in the system, a list of all Certification Bodies that cooperate with ISCC , a list of ISCC system certified users and system users excluded from ISCC certification, as well as documentation of ISCC stakeholder meetings.
ISCC takes the next steps in Carbon Footprint Certification
O ISCC, one of the leading international certification systems for sustainable and traceable supply chains, has successfully started the development of a carbon footprint certification for several products and value chains.
Industrial and consumer goods generate large amounts of carbon emissions throughout their life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials to the end of life. Depending on the processes and raw materials used for manufacturing, the effect a product has on the environment differs and is reflected, between others, in the Product's Carbon Footprint (PCF).
Many companies are increasingly looking for ways to measure and reduce the carbon emissions associated with their products to, possibly, make credible statements to their customers. There are already numerous approaches to support these ambitions, such as the use of unconventional raw materials or carbon capture and utilization methods (CCU) and storage (CCS). Companies need a reliable method to verify the environmental impact of their products and demonstrate compliance with different criteria.
Recent ISCC developments
Monitored by the market and in constant dialogue with its stakeholders and system users, ISCC decided to invest in advancing a dedicated certification of the carbon footprint of products. Jan Henke, Director of ISCC and MEO Carbon Solutions, Explain: “We have observed a growing interest on the part of companies, especially in the chemical industry, in certifying the carbon footprints of products and providing this information to its customers. For manufacturers and actors along the supply chain, It is critical to reduce your carbon footprint and make credible statements to clients and consumers.”
To this end, ISCC began to establish and optimize a solution adapted to the needs of system users and stakeholders in various industries. The result of a first phase of development and several pilot projects is the Carbon Footprint Certification (CFC) do ISCC. The CFC will harmonize the existing offer in ISCC PLUS and will be applicable for PCF certification. Furthermore, the new system will make it possible to link carbon footprint certifications and mass balance along complex value chains.
Still in development, the system will be an independent module that will focus exclusively on the product's carbon footprint and applicable greenhouse gas emissions calculations. Thanks to its flexibility, CFC can be used as a complement to the well-established ISCC PLUS certification, allowing system users to make declarations about both the origin of the raw material and its PCF.
An important pillar and first area of focus of CFC includes CCU and CCS techniques. Both applications are a future path to decarbonize the chemical industry. To use these techniques and communicate the potential for CO savings 2, It is necessary to certify compliance with accurate and transparent guidelines through third-party verification of multi-stakeholder certification systems.
First pilot projects confirm feasibility
To test the practicality of the applied methodologies, ISCC is carrying out pilot projects in one of its focus markets and has just reached the first milestone.
Fairway Metanol, a joint venture between Celanese and Mitsui & Co., was the first to obtain ISCC CFC for its low carbon CCU methanol. The newly certified material demonstrates a reduction greater than 70% in carbon footprint relative to a global average benchmark for fossil-based methanol production. Kevin Norfleet, Global Sustainability Director, Acetyls da Celanese claims: “We are proud to be the first to receive ISCC carbon footprint certification for CCU materials, which allows us to strengthen our ability to offer customers a wider range of products with a lower carbon footprint. .”
The way forward
Further pilot projects for additional reduction measures and configurations are still ongoing and will help to optimize the current approach and ensure its global applicability step by step..
Therefore, Currently, certifications can only be carried out with the direct involvement of ISCC. Henke adds: "For us, The establishment of a new module for certifying the carbon footprint of products is another important step to support the transition to a low-carbon future. To better meet the needs of our system users and stakeholders, we are committed to advancing and optimizing the initial system based on existing standards and initiatives.”
For more technical details, visit:
ISCC System – Solutions for sustainable and deforestation free supply chains (iscc-system.org)