Contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all UN Member States, sets out a shared vision for peace and prosperity for people and the planet. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – a global call to action for climate protection, environmental conservation, equality, and inclusive economic growth. The private sector plays a crucial role in achieving these goals. That’s why we support businesses in implementing traceable, more sustainable supply chains, thereby contributing to the SDGs.
How We Support the SDGs
We promote agricultural practices that strengthen farmers’ economic stability. By protecting essential resources such as soils, water, and biodiversity, our certification helps maintain productive agricultural landscapes – an important foundation for long-term livelihoods.
Additionally, we provide a dedicated approach for independent smallholders, helping them adopt sustainable practices, gain market access, and grow their incomes.
By promoting practices that sustain and enhance the resources essential for food production, our certification helps ensure that agricultural areas remain productive and able to meet food needs.
We further offer the ISCC Food Security Standard (FSS) add-on as an extension to our certification. The standard enables companies to integrate human rights principles, with a focus on the right to food, into their sustainability certification strategies.
Through the ISCC Academy, we offer accessible, practice-oriented training that helps companies, auditors, and everyone interested deepen their understanding of sustainability requirements.
Our training courses and webinars strengthen competencies in areas such as alternative sourcing, compliance, traceability, and greenhouse gas (GHG) calculations, helping participants apply these principles in their daily work.
Gender equality is a core element of responsible supply chains. Through our certification, we promote fair and safe working conditions for everyone by requiring compliance with strict social and labour criteria, including non-discrimination, equal treatment and protection of workers’ rights.
These principles guide not only our certification systems but also our internal policies and workplace culture, as we strive to foster an inclusive and equitable environment within ISCC itself.
Protecting water resources is crucial for sustainable production systems. Our certification includes clear requirements for responsible water use, pollution prevention and water protection. By promoting practices that minimise runoff, control fertiliser use, and protect soil health, we help to ensure that water is used efficiently and remains clean for surrounding communities and ecosystems. In this way, we contribute to the global goal of ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water for all.
We help accelerate the shift towards responsible production, consumption, and circular resource use. Across global supply chains, our certification supports the use of recycled, renewable, and bio-based materials to meet strict sustainability and traceability requirements. This gives companies and consumers confidence that the products they choose contribute to reduced environmental impact and greater transparency.
Climate protection is at the heart of our work at ISCC. We are committed to combating deforestation, biodiversity loss, and carbon stock depletion. Through our multi-stakeholder, third-party certification system, we promote practices that conserve resources, protect ecosystems, support low-carbon innovation, and circular resource use.
Through transparent criteria, independent auditing and credible traceability, we help organisations increase transparency, lower GHG emissions, and credibly communicate their actions towards a more sustainable future.
Protecting ecosystems and biodiversity is a central pillar of our work. Our certification strictly prohibits converting land with high biodiversity value or high carbon stock, safeguarding forests, grasslands, and other vital habitats from being cleared for production.
Our sister company, Global Risk Assessment Services (GRAS), offers remote sensing tools for land-use change monitoring and risk assessment in agricultural production systems.
Dialogue is at the core of our work. Our certification system has been developed through an open, multi-stakeholder process that brings together regulators, industry, and NGOs worldwide. Through our annual Global Sustainability Conference and regular stakeholder meetings, we discuss key topics, including circular and bio-based supply chains, alternative fuels for road, air, and sea transport, sustainable practices in the food and feed industry, and regulatory developments across all areas.
