4 July 2025
The annual and comparative benchmark study commissioned by all Nordic alcohol monopolies and carried out by British Total Quality Assurance provider Intertek examined more than forty different certification schemes and programmes across various sectors of the alcohol industry. This included environmental farming, cultivation, the beverage production as well as the schemes’ overall governance and quality.
Among these was the ISCC PLUS certification scheme, and the results paint a clear picture: We are proud to share that in these fields, ISCC PLUS excels across categories with the most positive assessments, underlining the scheme’s reputation as a trustworthy certification within the food and feed market that both producers and consumers can rely on.
Surprised that the ISCC PLUS certification scheme is also relevant for ensuring sustainable and reliable practices among stakeholders in the food and feed market?
Environmental Growing and Farming: ISCC PLUS For Responsible and Sustainable Farming
With four out of seven categories awarded the highest rating of “comprehensive”, ISCC PLUS exhibited specific requirements that even extend beyond the mere management of these subjects. Moreover, such ratings are by no means self-initiated, as they come hand in hand with proactive measures undertaken by the certifiers themselves.
The remaining three aspects all received an “intermediate rating,” indicating that ISCC PLUS, at the basic level, has a useful and viable management system in place regarding long-term soil health, crop and pest management, as well as in terms of biodiversity. With carefully designed policies, procedures, targets, and responsibilities, farmers are provided with a guiding hand to make sustainability a reality.
ISCC PLUS Recognised as a Certification of the Highest Quality and Governance
Further, the certification scheme was – in six out of seven total categories – awarded with the best evaluation possible, including (but not limited to) auditor requirements, stakeholder engagement, governance body and the continuous improvement of the scheme, proving that choosing to certify under ISCC PLUS as a stakeholder in the food and feed market is a decision worth making. Not convinced? See the results below.
ISCC PLUS: Recycling, Food, Feed and… Social Aspects
ISCC PLUS’ inclusion in the “Most Sustainable Beverages” concept for its social criteria (more information can be found here) covers the cultivation of raw materials. ISCC PLUS is not yet featured on Systembolaget’s website, as only certifications covering the entire supply chain have been published so far. Yet, there are plans to include schemes that focus solely on growing and cultivation. In practical terms, if a product is certified with ISCC PLUS, it covers Systembolaget’s social sustainability aspects of growing and cultivating raw materials. However, it is important to note that the product would still require another certification to cover the beverage production (including environmental aspects and packaging). An additional application of the benchmark is that ISCC PLUS could be a potential scheme for Systembolaget to request in their tenders.
The benchmark study affirms ISCC PLUS as a well-governed and dependable certification scheme, demonstrating robust performance across environmental and social criteria. Its recognition and upcoming publication on Systembolaget’s website emphasise its continued relevance and value for promoting responsible practices in the food and feed sector.