Assessment of Equivalence: Comparing a Nominated Standard against the Prescribed Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) Standard CONTENT OF STANDARD RSB Standard Principles and Criteria Version 2.1 (Prescribed Standard) [Enter title of nominated standard] (Nominated Standard) Equivalent Y/N Comments Principles Criteria Indicators / Minimum Requirements Principles Criteria Indicators / Minimum Requirements Legality Complies with all local laws Standard enables the use of existing local mechanisms to demonstrate compliance with the criteria/requirement (e.g. environmental licence or environmental authority; regulatory reporting arrangements). Legality Biofuel operations shall follow all applicable laws and regulations. 1. Biofuel operations shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations of the country in which the operation occurs and with relevant international laws and agreements Planning, Monitoring & continuous Improvement Sustainable biofuel operations shall be planned, implemented and continuously improved through an open, transparent and consultative impact assessment and management process and an economic viability analysis. 2a. Biofuel operations shall undertake impact assessment process to assess impacts and risks and ensure sustainability through the development of effective and efficient implementation, mitigation, monitoring and evaluation plans. Where impact assessment is required by national, regional or local laws, the process shall be integrated with the RSB impact assessment process to avoid duplication of efforts, but the higher and more comprehensive standard shall be applied. A screening exercise shall be required for all new and existing operations and extensions to operations of all sizes to determine whether an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) or a Rapid Environmental and Social Assessment (RESA) is required. The screening exercise shall be done in accordance with the Screening Guidelines (RSB-GUI-01-002-02). Participating operators shall conduct the RESA or ESIA if required in
with all RSB Principles & Criteria. Where there are progress requirements, they shall be detailed. specifically stated in the criterion the impact assessment process shall extend beyond the scope of the immediate operational area, for instance for food security, water management and use, ecosystem impacts, biodiversity and conservation in accordance with the RSB Impact Assessment Guidelines Multiple operators applying for certification as one single Participating Operator, as defined in the Consolidated RSB EU RED Standard for Participating Operators shall conduct the RSB impact assessment and management process jointly. 2b. Free, & informed consent (FPIC) shall form the basis for the process to be followed during all stakeholder consultation, which shall be gender sensitive and result While FPIC provides the process conditions for stakeholder engagement and negotiated agreements, consensus shall be the decision-making tool applied in all cases and carried out in
Biofuels shall contribute to climate change mitigation by significantly reducing lifecycle GHG emissions compared to fossil fuels. biofuel policy or regulations in force, in which biofuel must meet GHG reduction requirements across its lifecycle to comply with such policy or regulations and/or to qualify for certain incentives, biofuel operations subject to such policy or regulations shall comply with such policy and regulations and/or qualify for the applicable incentives. Operators shall refer to RSB-STD-11-001 RSB Market Access Standard to demonstrate compliance with this criterion. 3b. Lifecycle GHG emissions of biofuel shall be calculated using the RSB lifecycle GHG emission calculation methodology, which incorporates methodological elements and input data from authoritative sources; is based on sound and accepted science; is updated periodically as new data become available; has system boundaries from Well to Wheel; The Participating Operator shall report the lifecycle GHG emissions of the feedstock or biofuel using the RSB GHG Calculation Methodology In certain instances where the RSB Calculation Methodology is not available for a fuel pathway, the Participating Operator shall report the lifecycle GHG emissions of the feedstock or biofuel
Net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared with conventional fossil fuels. includes GHG emissions from land use change including but not limited to above- and carbon stock changes; and incentivises the use of co-products, residues and waste in such a way that the lifecycle GHG emissions of the biofuel are reduced. using an alternative, RSB-listed methodology, as indicated in the RSB GHG Calculation Methodology 3c. Biofuel blends shall have on average 50% lower lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions relative to the fossil fuel baseline. Each biofuel in the blend shall have lower lifecycle GHG emissions than the fossil fuel baseline. Lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of a biofuel blend, calculated following the methodology in Criterion 3b, shall be on average 50% lower than the applicable fossil fuel baseline. Each biofuel in the blend shall have lower lifecycle GHG emissions, calculated following the methodology in Criterion 3b, than the applicable fossil fuel baseline. The minimum lifecycle GHG reduction of the biofuel blend, starting at 50%, shall increase over time. Social Addresses rural and social development. Addresses working conditions and environment. Human and Labour Rights Biofuel operations shall not violate human rights or labour rights, and shall promote decent work and 4a. Workers shall enjoy freedom of association, the rights to organise and the right to collectively bargain. In countries where the law prevents collective bargaining or unionisation, operators shall not interfere with workers’ own efforts to set up representational mechanisms in such ground
the well-being of workers cases, and shall provide a mechanism for workers to engage with employers without breaking the law. 4b. No slave labour or forced labour shall occur. 4c. No child labour shall occur, except on family farms and then only when work does not interfere with the child’s schooling and does not put his or her health at risk. Schooling age is that defined in the national legislation or 14, whichever is higher. Hazardous child labour as defined by ILO Convention 138 is not allowed. Work by children on family small holdings is only acceptable under adult supervision and when work does not interfere with the child’s schooling nor puts at risk his or her health. 4d. Workers shall be free of discrimination of any kind, whether in employment or opportunity, with respect to gender, wages, working conditions and social benefits. Employees, contracted labour, small outgrowers and employees of outgrowers, shall all be free of discrimination as per ILO Convention 111. Career development shall be encouraged for all workers. Work shall be safe for women, free from sexual harassment and other discrimination and abuse, and promote access to jobs, skills training, recruitment
standards. without adequate protection and training as defined in national law and international standards. 4g. Operators shall implement a mechanism to ensure the human rights and labour rights outlined in this principle apply equally when labour is contracted through third parties. Participating Operators shall identify instances where those working within the scope of their operational function (feedstock producer, feedstock processor, or biofuel producer) are contracted outside of the direct influence of the operation by external parties and shall implement a mechanism to ensure that such contracted workers are afforded the same rights as described in this principle as employed staff within the process. Rural and social development In regions of poverty, biofuel operations shall contribute to the social and economic development of local, rural and Indigenous people and communities. 5a. In regions of poverty, the socioeconomic status of local stakeholders impacted by biofuel operations shall be improved. the socioeconomic baseline survey undertaken during the social impact assessment process in accordance with the Social Impact Assessment Guidelines identified an excess of unemployed or underemployed labour in the locality of the operations, biofuel operations recognised
ecosystems and conservation values. operation shall be maintained or enhanced. value(s) during the screening exercise of the RSB impact assessment process (Principle 2). Conversion or use of new for biofuel operations shall not occur prior to the screening exercise Where conservation values of local, regional or global importance have been identified, Participating Operators shall carry out specialised impact assessment in accordance with the Conservation Impact Assessment Guidelines Biofuel operations shall prioritise areas with the lowest possible risk of impacts to the identified conservation values. Areas identified as “no-go areas” shall not be used for biofuel operations after 1 January 2009, unless feedstock production or processing operations are legally authorised as part of the conservation management for the area concerned. Areas that contain identified conservation values of
New ecological corridors shall be created within the operation site if it is surrounded by areas containing wildlife and there is evidence that such corridors would improve connectivity. Any ecological corridors destroyed between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2008 on or near the operation site and for which the Participating Operator is directly accountable shall be restored. 7e. Biofuel operations shall prevent invasive species from invading areas outside the operation site. Participating Operators not use any species officially prohibited in the country of operation. If the species of interest is not prohibited in the country of operation, Participating Operators shall seek adequate information about the invasiveness of the species to be used for feedstock production e.g. in the Global Invasive Species Database (GISD). If the species is recorded as highly invasive under similar conditions (similar climate, similar local ecosystems and similar soil types), this species shall not be used.
ESMP to prevent infringements such as rights. No modification of the existing rights can happen without FPIC (as described in 2a and its guidance) of the parties affected. Environmental Sustainable use of surface and groundwater resources. 9b. Biofuel operations include a water management plan which aims to use water efficiently and to maintain or enhance the quality of the water resources that are used for biofuel operations. Participating Operators shall develop and implement a water management plan and integrate it into the ESMP. The water management plan shall be made available to the public, unless limited by national law or international agreements on intellectual property The water management plan shall be consistent with local rainfall conditions, not contradict any local or regional water management plans and include the neighbouring areas, which receive direct runoff from the operational site. Any negative impact on these neighbouring areas shall be mitigated. The Participating Operator shall undertake annual monitoring of the effectiveness of the
Progress requirements Open air burning of agricultural residues and by-products not occur following the phase-out plan (10.b.1). Legality Complies with all local laws. Use of technology, inputs and management of waste The use of technologies in biofuel operations shall seek to maximise production efficiency and social and environmental performance, and minimise the risk of damages to the environment and people. 11a. Information on the use of technologies in biofuel operations shall be fully available, unless limited by national law or international agreements on intellectual property. When complying with and auditing against this criterion, proprietary technology shall be protected from competitors and intellectual property rights shall be respected. The Participating Operator shall disclose technologies with hazardous or potential hazardous effects when such technology is used, and make this information available to the public upon request. 11b. The technologies used in biofuel operations including genetically modified: plants, micro-organisms and algae, shall minimise the risk of damages to environment and people and improve environmental and/or social performance over the long-term. The use of organisms that follow relevant national or international guidelines, laws and agreements, stewardship systems, and local and community coexistence agreements or understandings. For new operations, Participating Operators shall provide evidence that the hazardous technologies they use modified
overall system’s energy balance, greenhouse gas emissions, and/or economic viability without impairing the other principles and criteria in this standard. Land rights Biofuel operations shall respect land rights and land use rights. 12a. Existing land rights and land use rights, both formal and informal, be assessed, documented, and established. The right to use land for biofuel operations shall be established only when the rights are determined. the screening exercise of the RSB impact assessment process reveals a negative impact to existing land rights and land use rights by biofuel operations, the Participating Operator shall conduct a Land Rights Assessment Land under legitimate dispute shall not be used for biofuel operations until any legitimate dispute has been settled through FPIC and negotiated agreements with affected land users. 12b. Free, prior and informed consent shall form the basis for all negotiated agreements for any compensation, acquisition or voluntary relinquishment of rights by land users or owners for biofuel operations. No involuntary resettlement shall be allowed for biofuel operations. The Impact Assessment Guidelines shall be referred to for guidance on FPIC. Where land rights and land use rights are voluntarily relinquished and/or acquired on a willing seller-willing buyer