More than growth: RSB expands certification auditing capacity with a focus on integrity and impact
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In regions with the most to contribute to a sustainable bioeconomy, credible certification must be within reach. That’s why RSB has expanded its network of Certification Bodies (CBs), removing bottlenecks and building trust where it counts most. This recent growth reflects more than just an increase in numbers. It represents a strategic step forward in enabling sustainability assurance in regions that are poised to lead the global transition to a bio-based economy.
With the addition of Trans, alongside SCS Global Services, SGS Tecnos, CTC, and Control Union, RSB’s CB network now reflects a strengthened global footprint. But more importantly, this expansion supports a critical strategic objective: building robust auditing capacity in regions that are poised to lead the transition to sustainable bioeconomy. Why? Because every new CB undergoes rigorous onboarding and oversight to ensure their auditors can uphold the integrity of RSB certification.
“The impact of RSB certification depends on both its accessibility and its integrity,” said Amparo Arellano, RSB Standards & Certifications Director, “and with these new Certification Bodies, we’re removing bottlenecks and accelerating access in regions with the potential to lead in sustainable fuel and material production, like Southeast Asia and Latin America.”
RSB’s recent feedstock assessment, conducted in partnership with Boeing, highlight the strategic importance of Southeast Asia for the scaling of the biofuels sector, a region that could supply up to 12% of global sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) demand by 2050, positioning it as a key region in the sustainable fuels economy. This underscores the urgent need for robust, localised certification capacity, ensuring that the development of feedstock and fuel production in the region is grounded in truly credible sustainability assurance.
CBs such as Control Union, already active in Latin America, further extend this opportunity to countries like Brazil, where regional feedstock potential is also high. Feedstock development must be guided by certification systems that embed robust environmental and social safeguards. RSB’s system, grounded in our globally recognised Principles & Criteria, ensures these safeguards are not only met but translated into real-world, verified impacts.
With the growth of its CB network, RSB is not only better equipped to certify complex landscapes with the rigour and integrity it is known for, but also able to unlock new opportunities for regional stakeholders – from auditors and feedstock producers to governments and investors – to engage with sustainability on their own terms, supported by the RSB Academy and targeted, regional capacity-building programmes.
“Every Certification Body in our system is part of a larger effort to build trust,” said Amparo Arellano. “We’re not just amassing CBs; as part of the onboarding process, we’re investing in their capacity to deliver the level of scrutiny and integrity that RSB certification demands.”
That investment includes rigorous onboarding and oversight under RSB’s assurance system, which is aligned with the ISEAL Code of Good Practice and supported by our independent Technical Oversight Body, Sajoma Climate. Through structured training and technical guidance delivered via the Academy, RSB ensures that auditors across the globe are fully equipped to deliver robust, consistent certification outcomes.
This evolution in certification capacity reflects a broader vision. As global interest in SAF and other bio-based solutions increases, RSB is ensuring that assurance systems remain both credible and transparent. By grounding certification in a framework of integrity, transparency and local capacity, RSB is helping to ensure that the transition to a bio-based economy is not only scalable, but also fair, inclusive and rooted in meaningful, verified impact.
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