Content:

1. ISCC EU

2. ISCC PLUS 

3. ISCC CORSIA 

4. EUDR Add-on Guidance Document

5. Ensuring Credible Communication regarding ISCC Claims

6. ISCC System Document 208 – Logos and Claims 

The System Update is mandatory for all ISCC System Users,
ISCC Auditors and cooperating Certification Bodies.

1. ISCC EU

1.1  New ISCC Guidance Document – Waste and Residues from Food and Food Processing

The ISCC Guidance Document “Waste and Residues from Food and Food Processing” provides definitions of used cooking oil (UCO) and brown grease, as well as their properties, essential supply chain components and factors to consider for assessing plausibility.

Developed by an ISCC multi-stakeholder working group on waste and residues involving members of the ISCC Association and Certification Bodies, this document aims to support System Users and ISCC Auditors. It will be expanded by selected waste and residue feedstocks listed in Annex IX of the Directive (EU) 2018/2001 through ongoing consultation with members of the ISCC working group. The document supplements the ISCC EU System Document 202-5 Waste and Residues.

We welcome feedback from System Users, Certification Bodies and other interested stakeholders. The ISCC Guidance Document – Waste and Residues from Food and Food Processing (V1.0) is open to public consultation until 13 December 2024. Interested parties can download the document and submit their feedback on the ISCC website.

1.2 List of Material Eligible for ISCC EU Certification (“ISCC EU material list”)  

The ISCC EU material list has been updated. The newly added and revised materials are marked in bold. 

1.3 Positive Technical Assessment by the European Commission for the ISCC EU Forest Biomass Certification Approach

We are pleased to announce that our ISCC EU Forest Biomass certification approach has been positively assessed by the European Commission (EC). The official assessment note can be found on the EC website.

As a next step, the EC will start the official recognition process. Once the official recognition is in place, ISCC EU Forest Biomass certification will be possible. Any developments in this regard will be communicated through our official channels.

The following documents are now available on the ISCC website:

• Self-declaration for forest sourcing areas
• ISCC EU 202-3 Forest Biomass: ISCC Principle 1
• ISCC EU 202-4 Forest Biomass: ISCC Principles 2-6
• ISCC EU Forest Biomass Audit Procedure

1.4 Certification of Recycled Carbon Fuels (RCFs) under ISCC EU

Recycled Carbon Fuels (RCFs) fall under the same regulatory framework as RFNBOs, meaning they are covered under the same ISCC System Documents and audit procedures. However, due to uncertainties regarding feedstock and setup eligibility, we will review the setup eligibility of RCFs on a case-by-case basis until further notice.

If a Certification Body (CB) is contacted by a company interested in RCF certification, please inform us at rcf(at)iscc-system.org. We will manage the case internally and coordinate the communication among all relevant parties.

2. ISCC PLUS

2.1 Forest Biomass: ISCC Principle 1 now Applicable to ISCC PLUS 

The ISCC EU System Document 202-3 Forest Biomass: ISCC Principle 1 has been released and is now also applicable under ISCC PLUS.

To certify forest biomass under ISCC PLUS, compliance with both of the following documents is now required:

• ISCC EU 202-3 Forest Biomass: ISCC Principle 1
• ISCC EU 202-4 Forest Biomass: ISCC Principles 2-6

The relevant audit procedures now also cover all six ISCC Principles. For auditors conducting forest biomass audits, please use the audit procedure found on our webpage. We anticipate integration into APS in the near future. In addition, we have updated the self-declaration for forest sourcing areas on the ISCC website.  

If you are interested in forest biomass certification, we invite you to get in touch with us via our contact form.

3. ISCC CORSIA

3.1 List of Material Eligible for ISCC CORSIA Certification (“ISCC CORSIA Material List”)

The ISCC CORSIA material list has been updated based on the updated ICAO CORSIA Document “CORSIA Methodology for Calculating Actual Life Cycle Emissons Values”. The newly added and revised materials are marked in bold.

Please note that “cobs” can be certified either as agricultural residue or processing residue, thus different sustainability requirements apply. For further information, please refer to the ISCC CORSIA System Document 201-1 – Waste, Residues and By-products.

3.2 Update of the ICAO CORSIA Document “CORSIA Default Life Cycle Emissions Values for CORSIA Eligible Fuels”

The ICAO CORSIA Document “CORSIA Default Life Cycle Emissions Values for CORSIA Eligible Fuels” has been extensively updated by ICAO. Main amendments include:

• The limitation of use of negative ILUC value originally planned only for the CORSIA Pilot Phase has been removed. Please note that negative ILUC values only apply to the ISCC CORSIA system.
• Inclusion of default core LCA values for beef tallow, poultry fat, lard fat, mixed animal fats, and non-standard coconuts.

Additionally, the feedstocks “miscanthus (herbaceous energy crops)”, “switchgrass (herbaceous energy crops)”, and “poplar (short-rotation woody crops)” shall be produced according to the definitions and guidance provided in Section 5.4 of the document (marginal land). ISCC will provide further guidance on the implementation of marginal land definition. If an economic operator is interested in using “miscanthus (herbaceous energy crops)”, “switchgrass (herbaceous energy crops)”, or “poplar (short-rotation woody crops)”, please contact us via our webform.

Furthermore, the document has been restructured in a way that Core LCA Values Tables and ILUC LCA Values Tables are now divided into two different chapters (Chapter 4 and Chapter 5, respectively). However, the logic behind the use of default value remains unchanged.

4. EUDR Add-on Guidance Document

We have developed a guidance document for the EUDR add-on that provides detailed information on the EUDR add-on including the certification process, requirements and auditor documentation. The add-on can be combined with either ISCC EU or ISCC PLUS certification.

An ISCC certification in combination with the EUDR add-on is a solution for companies to mitigate risks related to environmental and human rights criteria, as well as to ensure the accuracy of deforestation analyses via the ISCC EUDRx tool. In addition, the add-on involves legality checks during the onsite audit and a consolidated reporting for due diligence statements (DDS).

If you have any questions about the add-on, please send an email to eudr(at)iscc-system.org. In addition, please register for the add-on in the ISCC HUB if you are interested in getting certified.

5. Ensuring Credible Communication regarding ISCC Claims

More and more companies, and especially brand owners are choosing to use ISCC logos and claims to highlight their environmental commitment. However, it is crucial to communicate these claims correctly to maintain credibility and transparency.

Therefore, being covered by an ISCC certification or an ISCC license is mandatory for making any claims related to ISCC or for using the ISCC logos.

ISCC offers the ISCC Licensing Scheme for brand owners introducing finished goods to the market. This option is straightforward to implement and does not require an audit, making it the ideal solution for brand owners at the end of the supply chain aiming to communicate their sustainability commitments efficiently.

6. ISCC System Document 208 – Logos and Claims

We have updated the ISCC System Document 208 – Logos and Claims (V2.0). The refined version is restructured to deliver clear and comprehensive guidance for the use of ISCC logos and claims. It specifies detailed requirements for ISCC communication, clarifies available logo options, and provides best practice examples to support effective implementation.

We are keen to receive feedback from System Users, Licensees, Certification Bodies, and other interested stakeholders. The ISCC System Document 208 – Logos and Claims (V2.0) is open to public consultation until 28 December 2024. Interested parties can submit their feedback via the ISCC website.

Please ensure that all communication complies with the requirements in ISCC System Document 208 – Logos and Claims. By following our guidelines, organisations can make credible claims and create effective marketing materials that reflect their commitment to sourcing alternative materials.