Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

We herewith inform you about updates and clarifications in the ISCC System. Please share this information with all relevant members of staff.

1. Updates on ISCC Documents

ISCC EU Material List

Table 1 “Raw Materials”

The following raw materials were added:

  • Residues from the processing of corn/maize
  • Waste oils from sewage sludge treatment

Please note that the ISCC EU and PLUS lists of materials can be amended. In case a material should be certified which is not listed yet, please note that ISCC must be contacted prior to the issuance of the certificate via info@iscc-system.org.

The current version of the ISCC EU lists of materials (as of 27 August 2020) is available here in the client section of the ISCC website (login required).

Updated ISCC EU and PLUS Audit Procedures

The ISCC EU and PLUS audit procedures have been updated. The following changes have been made to the procedures:

  • Question 00.01.21 now specifically asks for robust and up-to-date evidence for the confirmation of the total annual turnover of the operational unit to be certified
  • Question 00.06.12 was added
  • Question 00.05.19 was added
  • Question 00.07.11 was added
  • Question 00.07.13 was added
  • Question 00.07.14 was added

The updated audit procedures must be used for all ISCC audits from 1 October 2020 onwards. An earlier application is possible on a voluntary basis.

Please click here to find the updated ISCC audit procedures as pdf files. The word files can be found here in the client section of the ISCC website (login required). The updated version of APS will follow shortly.

New Form on the ISCC Website for the Application of the ISCC Logo

We are very pleased about the frequent application of the ISCC logo by ISCC System Users, ISCC Members, cooperating certification bodies and ISCC project partners.

Since prior approval by ISCC is required to use the ISCC logo, we have decided to simplify the approval process and have installed a new web form on the ISCC website for the application of the ISCC logo. The new web form can be found here on the ISCC website.

2. Clarifications

2.1 Biodiesel and Fossil Diesel

We herewith point out that fossil diesel and biodiesel are different products / product groups. Therefore it is not possible to issue a Proof of Sustainability for biodiesel when the respective phyiscal delivery consists entirely of fossil diesel.

2.2 Certification of Setups, Processes or Scenarios not Covered by ISCC Documents

Please note that certification bodies are always obliged to contact ISCC prior to auditing new setups, processes or scenarios which are not yet covered by the ISCC System Documents, ISCC Guidance Documents or past ISCC System Updates. The audit must not be conducted before the specific setup has been discussed and approved by ISCC. Please note that in case of non-compliance with this procedure, ISCC reserves the right not to accept certificates for new setups, processes or scenarios and may apply sanctions for certification bodies as laid out in ISCC System Document 102.

2.3 Waste Pressings from Production of Vegetable Oils

Please note that “waste pressings (from production of vegetable oils)” and “waste/residues from processing of vegetable or animal oil” are two different raw materials. This means they cannot be stated on the same Sustainability Declaration or on the same Proof of Sustainability.

According to the ISCC EU list of materials “waste pressings (from production of vegetable oils)” are defined as follows: “When a vegetable material such as olives is pressed to produce vegetable oil, the pressed material consisting of pips, skins, flesh etc. remains.”. For this material it is not required to specify the type of vegetable oil from which the waste pressings are derived.

Other residues like free fatty acids, soapstocks, soapstock acid oils contaminated with sulphur, residual acid oils or distillation residues resulting from the processing of vegetable oils or other types of materials, e.g. corn oil, cannot be classified or reported as “waste pressings (from production of vegetable oils)”.

2.4 Date and Place of Dispatch

We herewith clarify that the date of dispatch in Sustainability Declarations or Proofs of Sustainability must include the day, the month and the year of dispatch. Stating only the month and the year is not sufficient. Additionally, the place of dispatch must refer to the specific address from which the material was dispatched (e.g. the processing unit, storage location, etc.). Stating only a city or a region is not sufficient.

The recipient should check if the sustainability declaration contains all relevant information. Sustainability Declarations that are obviously lacking information or contain incorrect or inconsistent information should not be accepted by the recipient. In such cases the supplier of the Sustainability Declaration should be asked for a corrected document (see ISCC System Document 203).

3. Options for Applying GHG Emissions Savings from Soil Carbon Accumulation via Improved Agricultural Management (esca)

ISCC has been informed that companies provide sustainable material including GHG emission saving from soil carbon accumulation via improved agricultural management (esca).

Herewith, we would like to point out the following important restrictions on applying esca:

a) Emission savings from improved agricultural practices can be taken into account if evidence is provided that the respective practices were adopted after January 2008. Furthermore, it must be verified that they are implemented in best practice so that an increase in soil carbon can be expected over the period in which the raw materials concerned were cultivated. Measurement of soil carbon could also serve as additional evidence

b) The actual values for esca have to be calculated on individual farm level, i.e. it is not allowed to use a regional approach. Also, companies and CBs have to provide ISCC with the calculations and other relevant information for each individual farmer before esca values can be applied, e.g. prove that the improved agricultural management practice(s) was applied after the cut-off date (1 January 2008).

With respect to calculating esca please keep in mind that:

  • Companies can either apply IPCC values based on the references provided in ISCC System Document 205 “Greenhouse Gas Emissions” (chapter 4.3.3 Emission saving from soil carbon accumulation via improved agricultural management (esca)). Auditors then have to verify the correctness of the chosen IPCC factors with all relevant desk and on-site information.
  • In case the companies wish to apply values other than those of the IPCC, a report must be prepared which contains the complete calculation methodology validated by a third party. This report must be submitted to ISCC so that ISCC can assess how to proceed and whether these values are acceptable.

All companies that are already using esca must stop forwarding sustainable material with emissions including savings from soil carbon accumulation via improved agricultural management until ISCC has confirmed the respective acceptance.