ISO 15343 is an international standard focused on defining procedures for tracing and verifying recycled plastic content throughout the supply chain. It ensures transparency and proper documentation of recycled plastics from collection to the final product and provides a framework for calculating and confirming the recycled content in plastic products.
- Why ISO 15343 Matters
With the growing focus on the circular economy and sustainability, companies in the plastics and packaging sector need a transparent system to trace recycled plastic and validate their environmental claims to investors, customers, and regulators. ISO 15343 helps to:
✔ Ensure traceability of recycled plastics across the supply chain.
✔ Provide a clear methodology for calculating recycled content in the final product.
✔ Support companies in demonstrating commitment to recycling and sustainability.
- Content and Requirements of ISO 15343
🔹 Traceability
The standard defines a system to track recycled plastic at every stage of processing, including:
• Identifying batches and sources of recycled plastics.
• Documenting collection, sorting, and processing operations.
• Recording operational data and material quality throughout the process.
🔹 Recycled Content Calculation and Assessment
ISO 15343 provides systematic procedures to determine the percentage of recycled content in a product.
🔸 This includes calculating precise ratios of recycled material (pre- and post-consumer) in plastic products.
- Benefits of Compliance and Verification
- ✔ Increased Product Credibility:
Provides a trusted traceability system that end-users and partners can rely on. - ✔ Enhanced Supply Chain Transparency:
Helps companies demonstrate that recycled materials follow clear and documented procedures. - ✔ Regulatory and Environmental Compliance:
Facilitates adherence to laws or market requirements regarding recycled content. - ✔ Improved Corporate Image:
Shows real commitment to the circular economy and sustainability, strengthening customer and investor relations. - Applicability
ISO 15343 applies to companies throughout the recycled plastics supply chain, from waste collectors and recycled material suppliers to manufacturers integrating recycled plastics into final products.
- Purpose of Traceability and Verification
The main objectives of ISO 15343 are:
🔹 Ensure reliability and transparency in using recycled plastics.
🔹 Establish a system that can be independently verified by auditors or regulatory bodies.
🔹 Support companies in improving sustainability practices and accurately calculating recycling percentages.
- Higg FEM – Higg Facility Environmental Module
- The Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) is a standardized environmental assessment tool developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC). It enables manufacturing facilities to measure, manage, and improve their environmental performance across key impact areas, supporting transparency and continuous improvement within global supply chains.
- Higg FEM allows facilities to assess their environmental practices using a consistent methodology that is recognized by brands, retailers, and stakeholders worldwide.
- Why Higg FEM Is Important
Environmental performance has become a critical factor for brands, buyers, investors, and regulators. Manufacturers are increasingly expected to demonstrate measurable environmental responsibility, not just commitments.
Higg FEM helps facilities to:
✔ Understand their environmental impacts in a structured and measurable way
✔ Meet brand and customer environmental requirements
✔ Support sustainability reporting and disclosure
✔ Drive data-based environmental improvement
- Scope and Coverage of Higg FEM
🔹 Environmental Management Systems
Assessment of policies, procedures, roles, and responsibilities related to environmental management and compliance.
🔹 Energy Use & Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Measurement and management of energy consumption, energy efficiency initiatives, and GHG emissions.
🔹 Water Use
Assessment of water consumption, monitoring, conservation practices, and water efficiency improvements.
🔹 Wastewater
Evaluation of wastewater generation, treatment, discharge, and compliance with local and international requirements.
🔹 Waste Management
Assessment of solid and hazardous waste handling, recycling, and waste reduction initiatives.
🔹 Air Emissions
Identification and control of air emissions, including monitoring and compliance practices.
- Verification of Higg FEM
Higg FEM can be self-assessed by facilities and verified by approved third-party verification bodies.
Verification ensures:
✔ Accuracy and credibility of reported environmental data
✔ Alignment with Higg FEM requirements
✔ Increased trust from brands and stakeholders
- Benefits of Higg FEM Assessment and Verification
The key benefits of implementing and verifying Higg FEM include:
✔ Improved environmental performance through data-driven decision making
✔ Identification of environmental risks and reduction opportunities
✔ Increased transparency across the supply chain
✔ Stronger relationships with global brands and buyers
✔ Enhanced corporate reputation and sustainability credibility
✔ Support for regulatory compliance and environmental reporting
- Applicability
Higg FEM applies to manufacturing facilities across multiple sectors, including textiles, apparel, footwear, accessories, and related industries, regardless of size or geographic location.
- Purpose of Higg FEM
The primary objectives of Higg FEM are to:
🔹 Create consistency and transparency in environmental performance measurement
🔹 Enable credible environmental data for brands and supply chain partners
🔹 Support continuous improvement in environmental impact reduction
🔹 Promote responsible and sustainable manufacturing practices.
- ISCC-EU – International Sustainability and Carbon Certification
ISCC-EU is an internationally recognized certification system that ensures sustainability, traceability, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission savings across supply chains. It is primarily designed to demonstrate compliance with the European Union Renewable Energy Directive (RED II / RED III) requirements.
ISCC-EU applies to a wide range of industries, including biofuels, biomass, biogas, renewable raw materials, recycled carbon fuels, and circular economy value chains.
- Why ISCC-EU Is Important
Sustainability, carbon reduction, and supply chain transparency are now mandatory requirements for access to European and international markets. ISCC-EU provides a robust framework that enables companies to prove compliance with regulatory, environmental, and market-driven sustainability requirements.
ISCC-EU helps organizations to:
✔ Demonstrate compliance with EU Renewable Energy Directive requirements
✔ Ensure full traceability of sustainable materials throughout the supply chain
✔ Calculate and report GHG emission savings accurately
✔ Access European and global markets with confidence
- Scope and Requirements of ISCC-EU
🔹 Sustainability Requirements
ISCC-EU defines strict sustainability criteria covering:
• Protection of land with high biodiversity value
• Protection of land with high carbon stock
• Responsible agricultural and forestry practices
• Compliance with environmental, social, and labor requirements
🔹 Traceability & Chain of Custody
ISCC-EU requires a robust mass balance chain of custody system, ensuring that sustainable materials can be traced and documented at every stage of the supply chain, from origin to final product.
🔹 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Calculation
ISCC-EU includes mandatory methodologies for calculating GHG emissions and savings, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and comparability in climate impact reporting.
- Verification and Certification
ISCC-EU certification is conducted by independent, accredited certification bodies. Audits verify:
✔ Compliance with sustainability and traceability requirements
✔ Correct implementation of mass balance systems
✔ Accurate calculation and documentation of GHG emissions
Certification provides credible assurance to regulators, customers, and stakeholders.
- Benefits of ISCC-EU Certification
The key benefits of ISCC-EU certification include:
✔ Access to EU and international markets
✔ Compliance with RED II / RED III legal requirements
✔ Verified sustainability and carbon footprint performance
✔ Enhanced supply chain transparency and traceability
✔ Increased credibility with customers, investors, and authorities
✔ Improved corporate sustainability image
- Applicability
ISCC-EU applies to organizations across the entire value chain, including:
• Feedstock producers and collectors
• Traders and logistics operators
• Processing and conversion plants
• Biofuel, biogas, and renewable material producers
- Purpose of ISCC-EU Certification
The main objectives of ISCC-EU are to:
🔹 Ensure credible and verifiable sustainability claims
🔹 Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support climate protection
🔹 Promote responsible sourcing and circular economy practices
🔹 Create transparency and trust within global supply chains
- ISCC-PLUS – International Sustainability and Carbon Certification
ISCC-PLUS is a voluntary, internationally recognized certification scheme designed to ensure sustainability, traceability, and transparency for raw materials and products in non-regulated markets. It extends the ISCC system beyond the scope of the EU Renewable Energy Directive, supporting a wide range of industrial and consumer applications.
ISCC-PLUS is widely applied in sectors such as chemicals, plastics, packaging, food, feed, cosmetics, textiles, and circular economy value chains.
- Why ISCC-PLUS Is Important
As global markets increasingly demand verified sustainability claims, companies must demonstrate responsible sourcing and transparent supply chains—even where regulation does not explicitly require it.
ISCC-PLUS helps organizations to:
✔ Prove sustainability credentials in voluntary markets
✔ Ensure full traceability of materials throughout the supply chain
✔ Support circular economy and bio-based product claims
✔ Meet customer, brand, and investor sustainability expectations
- Scope and Requirements of ISCC-PLUS
🔹 Sustainability Criteria
ISCC-PLUS includes sustainability requirements covering:
- Environmentally responsible sourcing of raw materials
- Protection of biodiversity and ecosystems
- Social responsibility and labor standards
- Compliance with applicable legal and ethical requirements
🔹 Traceability & Chain of Custody
The scheme requires implementation of a mass balance chain of custody system, ensuring that sustainable materials can be tracked, documented, and verified across the entire value chain.
🔹 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Information (Optional)
Unlike ISCC-EU, GHG emission calculation under ISCC-PLUS is optional, allowing companies flexibility while still supporting carbon transparency and climate-related reporting when required by customers or markets.
- Verification and Certification
ISCC-PLUS certification is carried out by independent, accredited certification bodies. Audits verify:
✔ Compliance with ISCC-PLUS sustainability requirements
✔ Correct application of mass balance and traceability systems
✔ Accuracy and consistency of sustainability documentation
Certification provides reliable assurance to customers, business partners, and stakeholders.
- Benefits of ISCC-PLUS Certification
Key benefits of ISCC-PLUS certification include:
✔ Access to global voluntary sustainability markets
✔ Credible sustainability and circular economy claims
✔ Enhanced supply chain transparency and traceability
✔ Stronger customer and brand confidence
✔ Support for bio-based, recycled, and circular product strategies
✔ Improved corporate sustainability reputation
- Applicability
ISCC-PLUS applies to organizations across diverse value chains, including:
• Raw material producers and collectors
• Traders and distributors
• Processing and manufacturing facilities
• Brand owners and product manufacturers
- Purpose of ISCC-PLUS Certification
The primary objectives of ISCC-PLUS are to:
🔹 Ensure credible and verifiable sustainability claims in voluntary markets
🔹 Promote responsible sourcing and circular economy principles
🔹 Increase transparency and trust across supply chains
🔹 Support companies in meeting evolving sustainability expectations
- ISCC-CORSIA International Sustainability and Carbon Certification
ISCC-CORSIA is an internationally recognized certification scheme developed to demonstrate compliance with the ICAO Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). It ensures that sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and CORSIA Eligible Fuels meet strict sustainability, traceability, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction requirements.
ISCC-CORSIA supports the aviation sector in reducing its climate impact while maintaining transparency and credibility across global fuel supply chains.
- Why ISCC-CORSIA Is Important
The aviation sector is under increasing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and comply with international climate regulations. Under CORSIA, airlines are required to offset emissions growth above 2019 levels and use eligible sustainable fuels that meet defined sustainability and GHG reduction criteria.
ISCC-CORSIA helps organizations to:
✔ Demonstrate compliance with ICAO CORSIA sustainability requirements
✔ Ensure traceability of sustainable aviation fuel feedstocks
✔ Accurately calculate and report GHG emission reductions
✔ Access the global SAF and aviation fuel market
- Scope and Requirements of ISCC-CORSIA
🔹 Sustainability Criteria
ISCC-CORSIA includes mandatory sustainability criteria covering:
• Protection of high-biodiversity and high-carbon-stock land
• Responsible sourcing of feedstocks
• Compliance with environmental, social, and labor standards
• Avoidance of negative indirect land-use change (ILUC) impacts
🔹 Traceability & Chain of Custody
The scheme requires a mass balance chain of custody system, ensuring full traceability of sustainable feedstocks and fuels throughout the supply chain, from origin to final fuel delivery.
🔹 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Reduction
ISCC-CORSIA includes strict methodologies for calculating life-cycle GHG emission reductions, ensuring that fuels meet the minimum GHG reduction thresholds defined by ICAO for CORSIA eligibility.
- Verification and Certification
ISCC-CORSIA certification is conducted by independent, accredited certification bodies. Audits verify:
✔ Compliance with CORSIA sustainability requirements
✔ Proper implementation of traceability and mass balance systems
✔ Accuracy of GHG emission calculations and documentation
Certification provides credible assurance to airlines, regulators, and international authorities.
- Benefits of ISCC-CORSIA Certification
Key benefits of ISCC-CORSIA certification include:
✔ Compliance with ICAO CORSIA requirements
✔ Eligibility of fuels for use under CORSIA
✔ Verified GHG emission reductions
✔ Transparent and traceable SAF supply chains
✔ Increased confidence from airlines and regulators
✔ Enhanced sustainability credibility in the aviation sector
- Applicability
ISCC-CORSIA applies to organizations across the aviation fuel value chain, including:
• Feedstock producers and collectors
• Traders and logistics operators
• Fuel producers and refiners
• Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) suppliers
- Purpose of ISCC-CORSIA Certification
The primary objectives of ISCC-CORSIA are to:
🔹 Support global aviation climate goals
🔹 Ensure credible and verifiable SAF sustainability claims
🔹 Reduce life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions from aviation
🔹 Promote transparency and trust in international aviation fuel markets
- PEFC – Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification
PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) is an internationally recognized forest certification system that promotes sustainable forest management and responsible sourcing of forest-based materials. It provides assurance that wood, paper, and forest-based products come from legally harvested and sustainably managed forests.
PEFC supports environmental protection, social responsibility, and economic viability throughout the forest supply chain.
- Why PEFC Is Important
Forests play a critical role in climate regulation, biodiversity protection, and livelihoods. As global demand for wood and paper products grows, organizations are increasingly required to demonstrate responsible forest management and legal sourcing.
PEFC helps organizations to:
✔ Demonstrate sustainable forest management practices
✔ Ensure legality and traceability of forest-based products
✔ Meet customer, regulatory, and market sustainability requirements
✔ Support climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation
- Scope and Requirements of PEFC
🔹 Sustainable Forest Management
PEFC-certified forest management ensures:
• Long-term maintenance of forest resources
• Protection of biodiversity and ecosystems
• Respect for workers’ rights and local communities
• Compliance with national and international forestry laws
🔹 Chain of Custody (CoC)
PEFC requires a Chain of Custody system to track certified forest-based materials from the forest through processing, manufacturing, and distribution to the final product.
🔹 Due Diligence & Legal Compliance
PEFC includes requirements to prevent illegal logging and ensure compliance with regulations such as EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) and similar legal frameworks.
- Verification and Certification
PEFC certification is conducted by independent, accredited certification bodies. Audits verify:
✔ Compliance with PEFC forest management or chain of custody requirements
✔ Effective traceability and material control systems
✔ Accuracy and credibility of sustainability claims
- Benefits of PEFC Certification
Key benefits of PEFC certification include:
✔ Assurance of sustainable and legal forest sourcing
✔ Enhanced supply chain transparency and traceability
✔ Improved market access and customer confidence
✔ Support for regulatory compliance
✔ Strengthened corporate environmental responsibility
✔ Contribution to climate protection and biodiversity conservation
- Applicability
PEFC applies to organizations across the forest-based supply chain, including:
• Forest owners and managers
• Sawmills and wood processors
• Pulp, paper, and packaging manufacturers
• Traders, printers, and retailers
- Purpose of PEFC Certification
The primary objectives of PEFC are to:
🔹 Promote sustainable forest management worldwide
🔹 Ensure credible and verifiable forest-based product claims
🔹 Support responsible sourcing and legal compliance
🔹 Build trust among consumers, businesses, and regulators
- ESG Environmental, Social and Governance Verification
ESG Verification is an independent assurance process that evaluates the accuracy, credibility, and completeness of an organization’s Environmental, Social, and Governance disclosures. It provides stakeholders with confidence that reported ESG information is reliable, transparent, and aligned with recognized sustainability frameworks and best practices.
ESG verification supports organizations in strengthening sustainability performance, improving transparency, and meeting increasing regulatory and market expectations.
- Why ESG Verification Is Important
Organizations today are increasingly assessed not only on financial performance, but also on environmental impact, social responsibility, and governance practices. Investors, regulators, customers, and other stakeholders expect credible and verifiable ESG information.
ESG verification helps organizations to:
✔ Enhance credibility of ESG and sustainability disclosures
✔ Meet investor and regulatory expectations
✔ Reduce greenwashing risks
✔ Improve internal ESG management and data quality
- Scope of ESG Verification
🔹 Environmental (E)
Verification of environmental data and practices, including:
• Energy consumption and efficiency
• Greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint
• Water use and wastewater management
• Waste generation and recycling
• Environmental compliance and impact management
🔹 Social (S)
Assessment of social performance, such as:
• Occupational health and safety
• Labor practices and human rights
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Employee training and development
• Community engagement and social impact
🔹 Governance (G)
Evaluation of governance structures and processes, including:
• Corporate governance frameworks
• Ethical conduct and anti-corruption measures
• Risk management and internal controls
• Board oversight and accountability
• Transparency and decision-making processes
- Verification Process
ESG verification is performed by independent and competent verification bodies and typically includes:
✔ Review of ESG policies, procedures, and data
✔ Assessment against recognized ESG frameworks (such as GRI, SASB, TCFD, or CSRD-related requirements)
✔ Verification of data accuracy, consistency, and traceability
✔ Issuance of an independent assurance or verification statement
- Benefits of ESG Verification
Key benefits of ESG verification include:
✔ Increased trust from investors, customers, and stakeholders
✔ Improved quality and reliability of ESG reporting
✔ Support for regulatory compliance and sustainability disclosures
✔ Stronger risk management and governance practices
✔ Enhanced corporate reputation and market positioning
- Applicability
ESG verification applies to organizations of all sizes and sectors, including:
• Public and private companies
• Financial institutions
• Industrial and manufacturing organizations
• Service providers and multinational corporations
- Purpose of ESG Verification
The main objectives of ESG verification are to:
🔹 Ensure credible and transparent ESG disclosures
🔹 Support informed decision-making by stakeholders
🔹 Strengthen sustainability performance and accountability
🔹 Demonstrate long-term commitment to responsible business practices