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RSB Principles & Criteria v4: Explore the new and improved format of our flagship document

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The new version of RSB’s flagship document, the RSB Principles & Criteria, is now ready for public distribution, after being approved last year at the RSB Formal Assembly of Delegates.

What are RSB’s Principles & Criteria?

The RSB Principles & Criteria (RSB-STD-01-001) is the foundation of all the work we do – and the underlying approach we take to achieving our vision. It describes the best social, legal, environmental and management practices for operations producing, converting and processing biomass, biofuels or biomaterials in the RSB certification system.

While the RSB Principles provide the general tenets of sustainable production and processing, the RSB Criteria describe the conditions to be met to achieve these tenets. They are complemented by a set of standards, procedures and guidance documents that constitute RSB’s world-class sustainability framework.

Underpinning this sustainability framework, the RSB Principles & Criteria continue to be highlighted as the most credible example for guiding the advancement of the bio-based and circular economy – helping participating operators to identify and manage sustainability issues in specific contexts, thereby reducing risks and ensuring positive impact.

What is new and improved?

Last year, revisions to the RSB Principles & Criteria were approved at the RSB Formal Assembly of Delegates, finalising the latest developments to the core sustainability requirements for advancing the just and sustainable transition to a biocircular economy.

Changes to the previous version include:

  • increased specificity around labour conditions, particularly affecting farm-level operations and the evidence required for compliance;
  • clarification of the approach for different conservation type areas, making the requirements more understandable;
  • improved wording and clarity on soil management practices and their applicability;
  • increased specificity regarding the toxicity levels for pesticide formulation; and
  • strengthening requirements on the use of invasive species.

These new changes came at a pivotal time as policy makers in various regions and sectors announced their ambitious sustainability goals, the finance sector started exploring more innovative models to fund meaningful change, and multilateral organisations looked for new ways to invest significant funds that could act as a catyalyst for a net-positive world.

Now, having gone through the vital multi-stakeholder consultation process to formally integrate these changes, this new version of the RSB Principles & Criteria (Version 4) seeks to match the quality of these updated sustainability requirements on an aesthetic level. Thanks to another fantastic collaborative effort from the RSB Secretariat, we are ready to share it publicly.

This new and improved version of our flagship document aims at increasing the readability and understanding of the document, and thereby providing participating operators with the confidence to apply of these best practices more easily. 

For any queries regarding the RSB Principles & Criteria,  our sustainability framework and/or associated standards, please contact us at [email protected].

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