ISCC - Global certification system for sustainability
ISCC is a global certification system for sustainability, covering materials such as biomass energy in agriculture and forestry, bio-based raw materials used in production, and renewable energy.
The goal of ISCC is to encourage businesses to produce with consideration for environmental, social, and economic sustainability, and to use biomass energy throughout the global supply chain.
Which types of businesses are suitable for ISCC certification?
Let’s hear from BVC experts.
Question: What types of businesses are suitable for ISCC certification? What do companies need to prepare to obtain it?
Businesses need ISCC certification when requested by customers or the market. Typically, the market requires certification from end-product suppliers, who then pass this requirement on to their own suppliers. Additionally, companies aiming to enter demanding markets or improve their competitiveness should consider obtaining ISCC certification.
To achieve ISCC certification, besides registration, companies must thoroughly prepare their management systems, documentation, records, processes, and factors such as mass balance calculations and conversion factors (especially for processing units).
Question: ISCC certification is mainly applied to FMCG companies. So, is it necessary for electronics companies to obtain this certification? If yes, why?
ISCC EU mainly applies to biofuels, while ISCC PLUS is used for packaging and household materials that come into direct contact with humans. For electronics and semiconductor companies, the main materials are metals, which currently have no alternative sources. However, electronic circuits can be mounted on plastic sheets or housed in plastic casings. BV has previously certified ISCC PLUS for a company specializing in plastic boxes used for antenna heads and microchips. The application scope in electronics is limited, but ISCC certification can still be implemented if requested by customers.
Question: Is the ISCC fee applied to ISCC-certified products sold, or to the company’s total revenue (according to financial statements)?
In practice, some customers require factories to have ISCC certification but still place regular (non-ISCC) orders. In such cases, ISCC revenue is zero. Therefore, the fee is applied to the company’s total revenue.