The RSB Sustainability Certification Scheme

Sustainability certification for biomaterials of all types

Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials

Formation of the RSB

• Founded in 2007 as a multi-stakeholder initiative to develop sustainability criteria for bioenergy – Hosted by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne

• Evolved into a broader set of criteria for bio-based materials, including biochemicals, bioplastics and biofuels.

• Over 120 organizations in 30 countries including members of the public, private and non-profit sectors.

• Now a Swiss-based Foundation with an independent board of directors

• Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland

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The Three Legged Stool of Sustainability

• Soil, Water & Air

• Conservation of Biodiversity, Deforestation

• Control of Wastes & Chemicals

• Carbon Emission Reductions*

• Bio-based Component*

Planet

• Worker Health & Safety

• Land & Water Rights People

• Rural Development

• Financial Sustainability Profit

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Based on attributional LCA modeling

IPCC (Tier 1) direct land-use change emissions factors

Ecoinvent database emissions factors for inputs

Co-production allocation by economic value

For biofuels, a global average fossil fuel baseline

Operator input data audited by third parties, across the supply chain

Full Lifecycle GHG Accounting

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Collaboration with and recognition of upstream certification schemes

• Standards recognition allows for areas of overlap between standards to be recognized, such that joint audits can be conducted with limited additional cost burden

• RSB will continue to work with other standards bodies to recognize overlapping certification criteria

In-process

Certification to the RSB Standard

• Independent 3rd party certification bodies.

• Risk management approach - secure and robust while remaining flexible for participating operators.

• Different chain of custody options: ID Preservation, Product Segregation, Mass Balance and Book & Claim.

• Group certification approach for multiple suppliers

Applicant

Keeping good bedfellows: The ISEAL Alliance

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International lenders and development banks are increasingly requesting sustainability assurances

Inter-American Development Bank Developed a “Biofuel Sustainability Scorecard” based on the RSB Standard

Lenders Seeking Sustainability Assurances

• European Union - Renewable Energy Directive (RED)

• United States - Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2)

• The California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS)

• Harmonization with the Social Label in Brazil

• On-going discussions with municipalities to put RSB certification into their procurement policies

• Commitments from Fortune 500 companies to source RSB certified materials

The RSB Goal: Access to Sustainable Markets

Agricultural and Industrial Certification

• Global Clean Energy

– 15,000 acre jatropha plantation, certified

– ~15,000 acres of camelina production, in certification process

• Dynamic Fuels

– 75 Million Gallon/year Renewable Diesel plant

– UCO, Animal Fat, Other fat/oil feedstocks

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Traditional and Novel Feedstocks

• Paterson Grain / Agrisoma – 100+ grain elevators in Canada

– Commercial acreage of Carinata in 2013

• Maple Ethanol

– Largest ethanol producer in Peru

– Most efficient sugarcane production in S. America, best-in-class GHG profile

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Building an aviation supply chain with a downstream partner

• KLM & SkyNRG partnership for weekly RSB-certified biojet flights between New York and Amsterdam

o RSB worked with SkyNRG to build a certified supply chain

• United Airlines and AltAir fuels partnership for 15 MMGY biofuels offtake, plant to be RSB certified

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Costs and Fees

– Audit Cost: Auditors can provide – based on a risk class approach

– Licensing Fee: Small license fee based on certified output

– Cost of compliance: Time commitment to prepare for audit, cost of complying with RSB requirements.

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Participants

14 Non-exhaustive List

Offices in US, Brazil and Europe

RSB Services Foundation

Suite 600, 1420 Spring Hill Road

McLean VA 22102

Matthew Rudolf

Director, Business Development, Americas

Email: msrudolf@rsbservices.org

www.rsbservices.org / www.rsb.org