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Strengthening trust in certification: RSB publishes recommendations to the European Commission

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In response to growing scrutiny of sustainability certification systems under RED III, the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) has published a set of 15 targeted recommendations aimed at reinforcing trust, transparency, and accountability across recognised schemes.

These recommendations are part of a broader effort by RSB to strengthen both its own certification system and the certification landscape more broadly.

Over the past months, RSB has launched a coordinated programme of internal review, public information campaigns, technical working groups, and stakeholder consultations — reflecting a long-standing commitment to building credibility through continuous improvement, openness, and collective governance.

These recommendations have been formally submitted to the European Commission (EC) and are now available to download here. They reflect RSB’s commitment to leading system-wide improvements — not in isolation, but through engagement with our member community and global stakeholders.

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A shared vision of credibility

RSB has long recognised that credibility in certification doesn’t come from claims; it comes from structure, oversight, and continuous improvement. That ethos is embedded in our governance, assurance system, and stakeholder platforms.

In April 2025, we convened the RSB Sustainable Aviation Fuel Policy and Sustainable Marine Fuels (SMF) Platforms to begin shaping a collective response to concerns about assurance and oversight. This was followed by two facilitated platform meetings, where participants from industry, civil society, audit experts and the public sector co-developed a shared set of recommendations.

The process was structured, but open, and shaped by a recognition that trusted certification must be:

  • technically sound;
  • governed transparently;
  • audited competently; and
  • enforced consistently.

These recommendations are not intended to make compliance harder for operators. Instead, they aim to:

  • promote a level playing field of high credibility across certification systems;
  • ensure alignment between scheme rules and regulatory expectations; and
  • support mutual recognition and interoperability where possible.

Alongside this external engagement, RSB continues to review its own system through the RSB General Standards Working Group, updated auditor training and oversight requirements, and a suite of technical guidance updates, reflecting our commitment to real continuous improvement.

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Continued engagement

In addition to the EC Directorate-General for Energy (DG ENER), these recommendations are being used to shape engagement with other regulatory bodies globally.

This ensures that the conversation doesn’t stop at RED III, but contributes to broader alignment on credible, risk-based certification across sectors and geographies.

In July 2025, RSB has been invited to present these recommendations at a Commission-hosted dialogue with all RED-recognised schemes, where we will continue advocating for clarity, competence, and system-level trust.

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What comes next

These recommendations reflect a moment of action, but not the end of the process. We welcome continued dialogue with policymakers, peers, and partners to make certification not only credible, but resilient and fit for the future.

Importantly, the submission of RSB’s recommendations to the EC was aimed at supporting a broader dialogue between RED-recognised voluntary schemes and the Commission.

RSB has been invited to present at the upcoming official dialogue meeting between EC representatives and EU RED recognised voluntary schemes on 8 July 2025, where we will share the content of the credibility recommendations developed by our members and contribute to an open discussion on how certification systems can evolve to meet today’s expectations for transparency, assurance, and trust.

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  • View RSB’s recommendations to the EC here.
  • For more information, reach out to Amparo Arellano, RSB’s Standards & Certifications Director at [email protected].

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