ISCC Launches New Working Group to Boost Feedstock Verification

The new working group will enhance the integrity of certified biofuel supply chains through advanced scientific analysis. File Image / Pixabay

The International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) has established a new technical working group called 'Chemical Analytics of Feedstocks.'

The group's purpose is to strengthen the integrity of certified supply chains using scientific analytical tools, ISCC said in a statement on its website on Tuesday.

This move may be in response to increased scrutiny in the EU over sustainability certification schemes.

The group will initially focus on high-risk feedstocks, starting with used cooking oil (UCO), with the potential to extend to other feedstocks.

The working group aims to:

• Develop analytical methods to detect key feedstock characteristics
• Embed these methods into ISCC's certification integrity processes
• Improve traceability and reliability in sustainability verification

Bringing together experts from academia, certification bodies, and analytical service providers, the group held its kick-off meeting on August 6, with a follow-up meeting planned for early September.

This collaborative platform emphasises technical discussion to build broad stakeholder consensus on science-based verification methods.

Earlier this year, there were speculations that the European Commission was considering a 2.5-year suspension of ISCC's EU certification. ISCC expressed concern but later clarified that no such decision had been made, dismissing the rumours as speculation.

Concerns first arose in early 2023 amid reports of palm oil mill effluent (POME) fraud and point-of-sale relabelling, alongside rising imports of advanced feedstocks and biofuels from Asian countries.

These issues have highlighted vulnerabilities in supply chain traceability, prompting calls for stronger verification tools.

ISCC invites experts with relevant technical expertise to join the working group and contribute to developing robust, credible solutions that support compliance with evolving EU sustainability regulations.