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International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) — Frequently Asked Questions

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International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) — Frequently Asked Questions

For nearly two decades, the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) schemes have played a pivotal role in promoting more conscientious use and reuse of fuels and feedstocks, plastics and other chemicals. ISCC schemes also help ensure the integrity of supply chains for sustainable materials across diverse sectors.  

Having worked with the ISCC scheme since its inception, SCS Global Services is one of the leading ISCC certifiers globally. With a reputation for being a trusted ISCC certification body built over more than a decade and hundreds of certifications issued, our experienced team includes in-house industry experts serving on ISCC technical committees and regional auditors familiar with local languages, cultures, and norms of diverse communities around the world.  

In this blog, we answer some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) we receive related to four different ISCC Certification schemes: ISCC EU, ISCC PLUS, ISCC CFC, and ISCC CORSIA. 

Jump to any question: 

What is ISCC?

“ISCC” stands for International Sustainability and Carbon Certification, a respected, internationally recognized, multi-stakeholder organization that has developed and oversees the ISCC certification system. ISCC’s certification programs focus on sustainable feedstocks, including agricultural and forestry biomass, biogenic wastes, circular materials, and renewables. Today, ISCC offers a number of sustainability schemes aimed at different markets, with the most established being ISCC EU, ISCC PLUS, and ISCC CORSIA. Each scheme relies on similar structures and approaches to maintain integrity and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) best practices.

What exactly is sustainable biomass and bioenergy production?

Sustainable biomass is generally considered plant material used as or converted to fuel to produce bioenergy, most often in the forms of liquid fuels, electricity, and heat. Examples are sustainable biomass include wood and waste from forests and energy crops. Common conversions of biomass are the production of ethanol and biodiesel.

How is ISCC related to biofuels?

Global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions result from the burning of fossil fuels, and the accumulation of GHGs in our atmosphere cause our planet to warm. In direct response to the wide-ranging effects of the climate crisis, businesses and economies around the world are seeing an increase in production and demand for biomass and biofuel. Sustainable biofuel production is crucial for our future energy needs, but their supply chains are intricate and pose various environmental challenges.

ISCC certification plays a vital role in demonstrating the sustainability of biofuels, biomass, and circular products across the entire supply chain, thereby contributing to a more stable supply of renewable energy. The ISCC certification system pertains to all sustainable biofuel feedstocks, including agricultural and forestry biomass, biogenic wastes, circular materials, and renewables.

What are some of the requirements of ISCC PLUS certification?

ISCC PLUS certification addresses the following criteria: good agricultural practices to protect soil, water, and air; safe working conditions; compliance with human, labor, and land rights; good management practices; continuous improvement initiatives; and compliance with local and regional laws and international treaties. It maintains these requirements though the entire chain of custody from the producer of the raw material to the final brand owner.

What is the European Renewable Energy Directive and do all biofuel and biomass producers around the world have to follow its requirements?

The Renewable Energy Directive (RED) comes from the European Commission and sets forth policies and rules for EU member states regarding the production and promotion of energy from renewable sources with a goal to achieve 32% renewable energy by the year 2030. Global producers that interact with the EU market can benefit from ISCC EU certification which specifically complies with these policies and regulations, which are a requirement to sell their products in the EU. Products produced for markets outside the EU are not bound by EU fuel regulations.

Is ISCC PLUS certification compliant with the EU RED?

Conformance with the ISCC PLUS standard is not a substitute for ISCC EU compliance. Unlike ISCC EU certification, which is specifically geared towards meeting EU regulations pertaining to transportation fuels, ISCC PLUS is a certification for non-regulated markets that fall outside of the European Commission’s RED and FQD, such as Japan and the United States. ISCC PLUS expands upon the ISCC EU certification by including raw materials not covered in the RED and FQD regulatory requirements. Included in the list of acceptable products are bioplastics and mixed plastic wastes, chemicals, and agricultural raw materials used in food and animal feed.

What is the European Fuel Quality Directive (FQD) and how does that impact an ISCC certification?

Similar to the EU RED, the EU FQD is a strict set of quality requirements for fuels regarding their impact on human health and the environment. Companies certified to the ISCC EU standard are demonstrating compliance with the FQD requirements. The FQD applies only to biofuels used in road transport. The main criteria of the ISCC EU certification standard are based on the RED and FQD sustainability requirements, but also offer additional social issues requirements that go beyond legal requirements. ISSC is also recognized by the German Initiative for Sustainable Supply of Raw Materials for Industrial Use of Biomass (INRO) and the Dutch Green Deal in the Netherlands.

Does ISCC EU certification guarantee traceability?

Yes, ISCC EU certification guarantees traceability of biofuels destined for the EU market along the whole supply chain in conformance with established ISCC standards. Certification to the ISCC EU standard proves the entire supply chain complies with legal requirements for biofuels/bioliquids in the EU and other important energy markets.

Does ISCC PLUS certification guarantee traceability?

Yes, ISCC PLUS certification guarantees traceability of the raw materials audited as well as the whole supply chain in conformance with established ISCC standards. Certification to the ISCC PLUS standard proves the entire supply chain complies with legal requirements within the global economy.

What is the difference between ISCC PLUS and ISCC EU?

ISCC EU is a certification system that demonstrates compliance with the legal sustainability requirements specified in the European Union (EU) Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and Fuel Quality Directive (FQD). ISCC PLUS is a certification system for all markets and sectors not regulated by the EU RED or FQD, such as the food, feed, chemical, and energy markets and for technical applications. Under ISCC PLUS, all types of raw agricultural and forestry materials, waste and residues, non-bio renewables, and recycled carbon materials and fuels can be certified.

Are there specific benchmarks or minimum requirements that need to be achieved to receive ISCC EU certification?

The ISCC EU certification framework is built upon six core principles, under which specific benchmarks and requirements are found. These core principles include:

  • Biomass cannot be produced on land with high biodiversity value or high carbon stock. High Conservation Value areas must be protected.
  • Biomass is to be produced in an environmentally responsible way. This includes the protection of soil, water and air and the application of Good Agricultural Practices.
  • Safe working conditions must be maintained through training and education, use of protective clothing, and proper and timely assistance in the event of accidents.
  • Biomass production must not violate human rights, labor rights, or land rights. Biomass production must promote responsible labor conditions and workers' health, safety, and welfare and must be based on responsible community relations.
  • Biomass production must take place in compliance with all applicable regional and national laws and follow relevant international treaties.
  • Good management practices must be implemented and maintained.

Is ISCC EU a voluntary certification?

Any company seeking to sell biofuel or biofuel precursors into the EU is required to be certified to an EU RED compliant scheme. ISCC is the largest and most developed voluntary scheme that meets the EU requirements.

Is ISCC EU certification only necessary for selling into the EU Market, or does it help companies sell in other global markets? 

ISCC EU certification opens access to the EU market above all, but companies might find they can leverage this certification to access other markets. Worldwide, this is a certification that continues to grow, with nearly 60,000 certificates across the globe. Technically, ISCC EU certification is only required to sell fuel or fuel precursors into the EU; others may choose to carry the certification to demonstrate a verified commitment to sustainability. 

How can ISCC EU certification provide value to a corporate brand? 

ISCC EU certification provides access to growing international markets for non-fossil-based materials and energy sources. It offers third-party verification of a company’s commitment to limiting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impacts, including labor and land use impacts. While many similar certifications can fall under either a sustainability or a compliance umbrella, ISCC EU is different as the certification addresses both sustainability and compliance within one standard framework. In addition, companies that undergo this certification qualify for financial incentives by meeting EU sustainability criteria for biofuels targets and can access important revenue generation opportunities as their certification opens the door to access European markets which require compliance with EU legislation. 

What is ISCC Carbon Footprint Certification (CFC)? 

The ISCC Carbon Footprint Certification (ISCC CFC) module enables certification of product carbon footprints (PCFs) for various products and value chains. It supports credible claims about improved carbon footprint performance through non-conventional feedstock or decarbonization measures. Certified PCF calculations under ISCC CFC must follow specific rules to ensure comparability and reproducibility. These requirements are detailed in the ISCC CFC System Document. 

The ISCC CFC module applies to value chains with or without non-conventional feedstock, including bio, bio-circular, circular, and renewable feedstocks. It can be used alone or as a supplement to ISCC PLUS, and it can be used to quantify the carbon footprint for conventional materials that are not eligible for ISCC PLUS certification. 

While ISCC PLUS focuses on certifying non-conventional feedstock and tracing its origin, ISCC CFC exclusively certifies the PCF value and calculation. Using both allows users to make claims regarding both feedstock origin and PCF. 

What is CORSIA? 

The Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) is a multi-stakeholder, global offsetting initiative set up to offset international aviation carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to help stabilize the global climate and reduce emission levels caused by airplanes. Per the CORSIA Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) the offsetting of CO2 emissions from adherence to this initiative will be achieved by airplane operators through the acquisition and cancelation of emissions units from the global carbon market. The CORSIA initiative was started in 2016 when member states of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) made an historic decision to adopt a global, market-based measure to reduce aviation CO2 emissions. 

Who is required to get CORSIA Verification? 

CORSIA applies to planes larger than 5,700 kg and with annual emissions greater than 10,000 tons of CO2 per year. Included aircraft are airlines, cargo carriers and business airplane operators.  Currently, CORSIA is a voluntary program for airplane operators in ICAO member states but will be mandatory beginning in 2027. There are two initial phases starting in 2021-2023 and 2024-2026 when airplane operators have specified options for determining the basis of their offsetting requirements. In the “pilot phase,” which went through the end of 2023, airplane operators had two options: 

  • Use the airplane operator’s verified emissions covered by CORSIA in the given year (i.e. 2021, 2022 and 2023).
  • Use the airplane operator’s verified emissions for the baseline year of 2019. 

For the “initial phase” from 2024-2026, the calculation to determine an airplane operator’s offsetting requirements will be based on the verified emissions in a specific year (i.e. 2024, 2025 and 2026). 

In the third phase, which begins in 2027 and is set to end in 2035, participation for member states will no longer be voluntary, and there will only be limited exemptions based on aviation-related criteria, such as low overall emission for the state, or socio-economic criteria for states defined as Least Developed states or Small Island Developing States. For additional criteria, please visit the ICAO CORSIA website. 

What are the CORSIA Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs)? 

The ICAO has created a formal set of standards and recommended practices as a set of guidelines for CORSIA membership and airline operators. They are set forth in a 120-page document that is available on the ICAO website here and detail the monitoring, reporting and verification that is required of airplane operations in order to be compliant with the CORSIA guidelines. 

Do airplane operators have to verify their emissions each year? 

Yes, airplane operators are required to have their annual emissions report verified by an accredited, third-party verification provider. In addition, each airplane operator is required to submit its verified report to their member state. For example, in the United States, reports are submitted to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Each of the member states has its own air space regulator to which verified emissions reports should be submitted. 

Does SCS provide CORSIA Verification? What does that involve? 

Yes. SCS is accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) as a provider of Greenhouse Gas Verification Services under ISO 14065 and is listed by the ICAO as a verifier for the CORSIA scheme. We outline the full process on our CORSIA Verification service page, and we include the process below for easy reference. 

  1. Requisition Questionnaire — Airplane operator completes a detailed questionnaire regarding type and scale of their operation, fuel use monitoring methods, data systems used, number of airplanes, number of subsidiaries (if applicable) to be included in the scope of work.
  2. Scoping — SCS reviews questionnaire, discusses budget, timeline and audit schedule (which may or may not require an on-site review).
  3. Auditing and Reporting — SCS ANAB accredited Lead Auditor provides a comprehensive data review and audit and submits a report to airplane operator for review. Report may include findings that need review and revisions by the operator.  
  4. Report Verification — Once all clarifications and adjustments are made and the information has been approved by the operator, SCS documents the results of the verification within the CORSIA report template and submits for internal independent review by an SCS CORSIA Lead Verifier who remains independent from the Verification Team.
  5. Final CORSIA Report Submission — SCS submits the final CORSIA verification report to the operator and the operator’s aviation authority. Operator also submits the verified report to its aviation authority. SCS can also provide client marketing support. 

Is CORSIA Verification an accredited program? 

Yes, the CORSIA Verification Program is an ANAB accredited program, so all verifications will undergo standard ANAB audits, which includes two qualified auditors, one to lead the audit/verification and the other to provide a technical review of the audit. These auditors are trained both in GHG 14064-3 standard and the CORSIA program and technical requirements.  

Can an airplane operator have offsetting requirements even if its state of registration does not participate in CORSIA offsetting? 

Yes. Because of CORSIA’s route-based approach, an airplane operator flying routes between participating States would be subject to the offsetting requirements under the CORSIA, no matter whether its State of registration participates in CORSIA offsetting or not. 

What is the deadline for submitting a CORSIA report? 

Generally, airplane operators are expected to compile their previous year’s CO2 emissions data and have their verification report submitted to their designated aviation authority no later than April 30 each year. For additional details on the CORSIA program, please visit the ICAO CORSIA FAQ page here. 

Have more questions? We’re here to help. Please get in touch at [email protected].