ISCC Series: Introduction to the ISCC EU Scheme – What You need to know Artwork

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ISCC Series: Introduction to the ISCC EU Scheme – What You need to know

June 09, 2025 • Intertek UK and Iberia • Season 8

In today’s episode, our Intertek’s expert, Florencia Bahamonde, dives into the ISCC EU scheme that provides businesses with a structured approach to meet legal obligations and sustainability commitments. From feedstock producers and traders to biofuel refineries and energy suppliers, ISCC EU helps businesses operating within the European bioeconomy contribute to the EU’s renewable energy targets while meeting strict sustainability, traceability, and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction requirements. Listen to our podcast and learn which the six core sustainability principles ISCC EU certification is based on.

Speakers:

Catherine Beare, Regional Director Business Assurance, UK and Iberia at Intertek
Florencia Bahamonde, ISCC Senior Global Program Manager at Intertek

Catherine Beare Intertek
Hello and welcome to Intertek’s awareness series where we delve into the latest in sustainable practises, the ISCC certifications and their impact on the world of business and beyond.
I'm your host, Catherine Beare, and today I'm delighted to be joined by Florencia Bahamonde, our ISCC Senior Global Programme Manager. Welcome Florencia.

Florencia Bahamonde Intertek
Hi, Katherine. It's really a pleasure to be here.

Catherine Beare Intertek
So today we are going to dive into the topic that's crucial for sustainable development and we're going to look at is ISCC EU certification. So Florencia my first, most important question, what is ISCC EU?

Florencia Bahamonde Intertek
Well, ISCC EU is an internationally recognized certification system that ensures the sustainability of biofuels and biomass, primarily for compliance with the EU Renewable Energy Directive. It provides a framework to verify that bio-based feedstocks meet sustainability, traceability, and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction requirements.

Catherine Beare Intertek
Great. So what I'm going to now start with is some more basics. Can you give us an overview of what's involved Florencia in the ISCC EU certification and of course, as usual, explain why it's important.

Florencia Bahamonde Intertek
Absolutely! The ISCC EU certification verifies that biomass and biofuels meet strict sustainability, traceability, and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction requirements, making it essential for businesses operating within the European bioeconomy, to contribute to the EU’s renewable energy targets.

While the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) set a target for the EU to achieve 32% renewable energy in total consumption by 2030, with 14% of energy in transport from renewable sources, RED III, praises the overall renewable energy target to 42,5% by 2030 and introduces specific targets for Member States in the industry, transport, and building sectors. RED III also places stricter limits on biofuels made from food and feed crops, encourages advanced biofuels, and promotes renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs) like hydrogen and synthetic fuels.

With increasing regulatory targets and evolving sustainability requirements, ISCC EU provides businesses with a structured approach to meeting both legal obligations and voluntary sustainability commitments. The certification covers all actors in the supply chain, from feedstock producers and traders to biofuel refineries and energy suppliers, ensuring that sustainability is maintained throughout the entire value chain.

Catherine Beare Intertek
Fantastic. Now it sounds like ISCC EU is a very key certification for compliance in the European market very clearly. Now that we know what ISCC EU is Florencia, let's talk a little bit about who needs this certification, which companies or industries should seek ISCC EU certification as opposed to the others, for example.

Florencia Bahamonde Intertek
Well, that's a good place to start. ISCC EU certification is required for any company involved in the production, processing, or trade of sustainable biofuels and biomass for the EU market. This includes:

Feedstock producers – Farmers, forestry operations, and waste collectors providing raw materials for biofuel production.
Biofuel producers and refineries – Companies converting feedstocks into bioethanol, biodiesel, biogas, and other biofuels.
Traders and suppliers – Organizations handling certified materials within the supply chain to ensure sustainability and traceability.
Storage and logistics providers – Entities involved in the transportation and storage of certified materials must also meet ISCC EU standards.
Energy and fuel suppliers – Companies distributing biofuels for use in the EU market need certification to demonstrate compliance with sustainability regulations.

This broad scope ensures that the entire biofuel value chain is accountable, from raw material production to final distribution.

Catherine Beare Intertek

Interesting! It makes a lot of sense. So it's clear that ISCC EU isn't just for producers, but for everyone in the supply chain. And therefore, I guess you know, it ensures that full sustainability compliance. OK, right. Clear on that. Now let's move to the main criteria behind this. So certification schemes as we know by nature often come with strict requirements. What are the main criteria that companies must meet for ISCC EU certification, please Florencia?

Florencia Bahamonde Intertek

This is a really important topic. ISCC EU certification is based on six core sustainability principles:

Protection of land with high biodiversity and high carbon stock – Feedstocks cannot be sourced from deforested areas, primary forests, or protected lands.
Sustainable land management – Ensuring soil quality, water management, and responsible use of resources.
Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions – Certified biofuels must demonstrate a significant reduction in GHG emissions compared to fossil fuels.
Respect for human rights and labor laws – Upholding fair labor conditions, no forced or child labor, and safe working conditions.
Compliance with laws and international treaties – Ensuring companies follow all relevant local and international regulations.
Traceability and mass balance system – A robust system that ensures sustainable materials are tracked throughout the supply chain.

These criteria ensure that ISCC EU certification is not just about sustainability but also ethical and legal compliance.

Catherine Beare Intertek
Fantastic. Very, very clear Florencia. So I guess it's great to see that ultimately it's covering both the environmental, social and governance aspects to ensure that full sustainability scope. Now a key part of sustainability certification is understanding as we know which materials can be certified. So which feedstocks are covered under ISCC EU please?

Florencia Bahamonde Intertek
Well, ISCC EU certification applies to a wide range of feedstocks, that are also named in the RED regulations:

Agricultural biomass – Such as rapeseed, soy, palm oil, sugarcane, and corn, commonly used in biofuel production.
Waste and residues – Including used cooking oil (UCO), animal fats, agricultural and biogenic waste.
Forest biomass – produced from forestry, including non-wood forest products, forestry residues and processing residues.
Renewable electricity - fuels or products whose energy content comes from renewable sources other than biomass, like hydrogen produced through electrolysis powered by solar energy.

The inclusion of waste and residue feedstocks is particularly important as the EU prioritizes advanced biofuels that reduce pressure on food production and minimize environmental impact.

Catherine Beare Intertek
Very, very interesting indeed. So look, the flexibility in feedstock choices from what you're saying helps, you know, drive innovation while also supporting sustainable goals in the EU bio economy, fantastic. So look, my usual last question for you, Florencia, could you give us a high level overview please of how companies can get involved with this certification?

Florencia Bahamonde Intertek
Certainly Catherine. We know that sometimes organizations struggle to find the right information, doubt if their process or materials are in the scope of the ISCC EU certification, so I really suggest that for those interested in learning more and connect directly with a technical expert, please feel free to reach out to us and please Catherine if you can provide the details that will be great.

Catherine Beare Intertek
It's fantastic. And yes, please do get in touch with us, at e-mail business.assurance@intertek.com where we will be delighted to put you in touch with one of our many global ISCC experts as we do offer this service worldwide. That's all for today's episode as part of our Intertek’s ISCC awareness series.
And thank you for tuning in and a special thanks to you Florencia for once again sharing those really useful insights that help our audience to educate themselves more on this topic and make the right decisions. Stay tuned and we will continue diving into the ISCC certification in our future episodes. Thank you all.