Skip to Content

RSB Certification for Smallholder Groups

The RSB Certification for Smallholder Groups is designed to support smallholders (areas <75 hectares) to access third-party certification by reducing economic barriers that might prevent small scale farmers from demonstrating compliance with sustainability criteria. The certified smallholder groups can supply RSB biomass to fuels and/or any bio-based product processor.

The RSB smallholder certification allows farmers to achieve certification using a stepwise approach and make improvements in their management, environmental and social practices.

Read the RSB Standard for Certification of Smallholder Groups

Certification context

As part of an RSB smallholder groups, an appointed management entity has responsibility for managing the certification process and putting the necessary systems in place to ensure the compliance of the individual group members under certification to the respective standard requirements.  This management entity applies for certification, represents the group members when working with RSB and the certification body, and holds the RSB certificate. An external certification body will assess the group management system as well as the compliance of individual group members on a sample basis.

RSB’s Certification for Smallholders Groups is composed of a standard for Group Management and an adapted RSB Principles & Criteria for Smallholder Groups. The adapted RSB Principles & Criteria do not include RSB’s Principle 5 on Rural Development and allows a stepwise approach to compliance with RSB’s sustainability requirements – giving smallholders up to three years to reach full compliance.

Read all associated documentation for this scheme

Are you ready to apply for RSB’s Certification for Smallholder Groups?

Apply for certification

Working with the RSB Principles & Criteria

When it comes to working with RSB’s sustainability framework, not every document applies to every producer. By completing the self-risk assessment and screening exercises before the certification process, your context-specific sustainability requirements will be set out.

Depending on your certification scope and the type of operator you are, you will only need to work with some of these documents. The specific sustainability requirements that apply to your operation will be clarified when you complete your screening exercise.

Connect with our Certification Manager to learn more about working with the P&C
Back to top