SBP approves DNV GL Business Assurance Finland

SBP has today announced that DNV GL Business Assurance Finland Oy Ab (DNV GL) has become the fifth ‘SBP-approved’ Certification Body. DNV GL has provided evidence that it meets the SBP requirements regarding its existing accreditations and has demonstrated sufficient resource and competence to manage the SBP certification programme.

The SBP certification programme enables producers of woody biomass to demonstrate that they source their raw material responsibly and that it complies with the regulatory, including sustainability, requirements applicable to power generators burning woody biomass to produce energy.

DNV GL has been approved for the certification of Biomass Producers, typically pellet or wood chip mills, and the biomass supply chain, for example, components of the downstream supply chain, such as trade, transport and processing that require Chain of Custody certification. The geographic scope of the approval allows DNV GL to offer certification services in Denmark, Estonia, Finland and Sweden.

Carsten Huljus, Chief Executive Officer of SBP, commented, “The SBP approval process is both rigorous and robust. I am pleased to confirm that DNV GL has achieved SBP approval”.

SBP approves SCS Global Services

SBP has today announced that SCS Global Services (SCS), USA has become the fourth ‘SBP-approved’ Certification Body. SCS has provided evidence that it meets the SBP requirements regarding its existing accreditations and has demonstrated sufficient resource and competence to manage the SBP certification programme.

The SBP certification programme enables producers of woody biomass to demonstrate that they source their raw material responsibly and that it complies with the regulatory, including sustainability, requirements applicable to power generators burning woody biomass to produce energy.

SCS has been approved for worldwide certification of Biomass Producers, typically pellet or wood chip mills, and the biomass supply chain, for example, components of the downstream supply chain, such as trade, transport and processing that require Chain of Custody certification.

Carsten Huljus, Chief Executive Officer of SBP, commented, “The SBP approval process is both rigorous and robust, the final stage of which is a review by an independent Technical Committee of the whole assessment process and a recommendation for approval.

“I am pleased to confirm that SCS Global Services has achieved SBP approval”.

SBP-endorsed Regional Risk Assessment for Lithuania published

SBP has today published the SBP-endorsed Regional Risk Assessment for Lithuania. The publication of the Regional Risk Assessment follows a period of public consultation and internal review by SBP, including an approval recommendation from the independent Technical Committee. SBP has also published a response to consultation, which summarises and considers comments received from stakeholders. SBP-endorsed Regional Risk Assessments are a key part of SBP’s focus on identifying and mitigating risks associated with sustainably sourcing feedstock for biomass pellet and wood chip production. The SBP Framework is designed to provide assurance that feedstock is sourced legally and sustainably.

Feedstock certified at the forest level through FSC® or PEFC-endorsed schemes is considered SBP-compliant. Other feedstock must be evaluated using a risk-based approach if it is to count towards an SBP-compliant claim.

The Biomass Producer – typically a pellet mill or wood chip producer – is responsible for carrying out the risk assessment and putting in place mitigation measures to manage any specified risks such that the risks can be considered to be controlled and hence low risk. It is the role of an independent, third-party Certification Body, approved by SBP, to check that the feedstock evaluation has been correctly undertaken and that any mitigation measures are being effectively implemented.

Carsten Huljus, SBP Chief Executive Officer, commented: “Evaluating an entire geographic region and determining the risks associated with sourcing feedstock for biomass pellet or wood chip production from that region avoids the need for individual Biomass Producers to conduct risk assessments. Consequently, Regional Risk Assessments greatly improve consistency in understanding and approach.

“The SBP Regional Risk Assessment Procedure also ensures active engagement with a diverse range of stakeholders in the region – something that is incredibly valuable to certification schemes, such as SBP”. The SBP-endorsed Regional Risk Assessment for Lithuania and the SBP response to consultation can be found at: http://www.sustainablebiomasspartnership.org/documents/risk-assessments/regional-risk-assessments-for-the-baltic-states/lithuania

SBP publishes Work Instruction Documents

SBP has today published two Work Instruction Documents, which provide a step-by-step description of the Certification Body Approval Procedure and the Certificate Holder Approval Procedure.

In the interests of transparency, these documents illustrate the processes and the people that are involved in every approval decision made by SBP.

The documents can be viewed here: http://www.sustainablebiomasspartnership.org/documents/process-documents/work-instruction-documents