SBP is pleased to announce the publication of our recently revised Theory of Change, marking a significant step forward in our commitment to driving sustainable practices in the biomass industry. This comprehensive update aligns with our refreshed strategy and our revised Standards (v2.0), ensuring we remain at the forefront of promoting responsible biomass practices.

The updated Theory of Change encapsulates SBP’s strategic aims and operational activities, designed to deliver measurable and impactful outcomes. Our revised framework underscores our dedication to sustainability, transparency, and continuous improvement within the biomass sector.

Carsten Huljus, SBP CEO commented, “We are excited to share our revised Theory of Change, which not only aligns with our refreshed strategy but also integrates the advancements made in our revised Standards. This revision reflects our ongoing commitment to driving positive change and fostering sustainable practices across the biomass supply chain”.

The development of this revised Theory of Change was a collaborative process, enriched by the valuable feedback received from our stakeholders during the public consultation period. We extend our sincere gratitude to all participants for their insightful contributions, which have been instrumental in shaping a robust and forward-thinking framework. Alongside the revised Theory of Change, we have also published a detailed response to the consultation, addressing the feedback and outlining how it has been incorporated into the final version.

The revised Theory of Change will serve as a guiding document for SBP, our partners, and the wider biomass community, helping to drive collective action towards a more sustainable and responsible future.

Access the revised Theory of Change and our response to consultation here.

The Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) has today published the revised Regional Risk Assessments (RRAs) for Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

As a result of the Standards Development Process launched in May 2020, both SBP Standards 1 and 2 were revised, thus triggering the review of all existing SBP-endorsed RRAs. Indufor Oy was appointed as the Working Body responsible for reviewing and revising the existing SBP-endorsed RRAs for Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

RRAs are a key part of SBP’s focus on identifying and managing risks associated with sustainably sourcing feedstock for biomass production. With an RRA covering an entire geographic region, and determining the risks associated with sourcing feedstock from that region, the need for individual Biomass Producers to conduct risk assessments is avoided, leading to an efficient and consistent risk assessment process. RRAs also ensure active engagement with a diverse range of stakeholders in the region.

The revised RRAs can be viewed here.

Date: 4 September 2024
Duration: 1 hour
Time: 10am CET and 6pm CET
Recording: Available on our YouTube channel after the event

Webinar Overview:

Navigating the complexities of the EU Deforestation-free Products Regulation (EUDR) can be challenging, especially for those in the woody biomass supply chain. Join us for an informative webinar where we will outline SBP’s approach to EUDR compliance, addressing the specific challenges posed by the regulation.

What You’ll Learn:

• Detailed insights into our EUDR add-on module for the SBP Data Transfer System (DTS).
• EUDR compliance versus the SBP framework.

Webinar Format: The session will feature a series of presentations from our expert speakers, followed by an interactive Q&A session where you can get your specific questions answered.

Meet the Speakers:

• Carsten Huljus, SBP CEO
• Ulrich Heindl, Global Traceability CEO
• Lauri Kärmas, SBP Data Manager and Analyst
• Alex Orban, SBP Standards Manager
• Roman Polyachenko, SBP Assurance Manager

Who Should Attend: While the primary audience includes SBP Certificate Holders and Certification Bodies, the webinar is open to all interested parties who wish to stay ahead in EUDR compliance.

How to Register: Secure your spot by registering online.

Click here to register for the 10am CET session

Click here to register for the 6pm CET session

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and ensure your compliance with EUDR. We look forward to your participation!

For any questions or additional information, please contact us at info@sbp-cert.org.

Stay compliant, stay informed with SBP!

The Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) has today launched the public consultation on its revised Theory of Change.

The updates reflect our refreshed purpose and strategic aims. We have aligned each focus area identified in our core strategy with our impact pathways. These pathways clearly delineate the causal relationships between our strategic aims, inputs, activities, resultant outputs, intended outcomes, and overall impact. This comprehensive framework ultimately supports and fulfils our organisational purpose.

We explain how each element – from inputs to impact – interconnects to drive meaningful progress. Stakeholder feedback will be invaluable in refining this framework to ensure it accurately represents our aims and the steps we need to achieve them.

We invite all interested parties to engage in this dialogue, share your perspectives, and contribute to the continuous improvement of our certification scheme. Together, we can enhance the clarity and effectiveness of our approach, ensuring it resonates with and benefits all stakeholders involved. Thank you for your participation and commitment to our shared purpose.

For the consultation draft and more details on how to participate in the public consultation please follow the link. The deadline for feedback is Monday, 8 July 2024.

The Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) has today announced that the GB energy regulator, Ofgem, has completed an assessment of the revised SBP Standards (v2.0) and concluded that they align with the Land Criteria set out in the legislative framework of the following schemes:

• Renewables Obligation
• Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive
• Feed-in Tariffs
• Smart Export Guarantee
• Green Gas Support Scheme

Following a comprehensive review and revision process, the revised SBP Standards (v2.0) became effective in August 2023. The revised Standards underpin the SBP promise of good biomass and go beyond legislative requirements. In their entirety, they require that SBP-certified biomass is deforestation-free, that biodiversity is maintained or enhanced through protecting key species, habitats and ecosystems, that water quality and soil quality are maintained or enhanced, that carbon stocks are stable or increasing, and that workers and their rights, local communities, and the rights of Indigenous Peoples are protected.

Our revised Standards also mandate compliance with the EU REDII requirements. Certificate Holders have until November 2025 to transition to the revised requirements.

The Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) has today published its annual review for 2023. The review is available at: www.sbp-cert.org/documents/annual-reviews.

Commenting on the events of 2023, Carsten Huljus, SBP Chief Executive Officer, said: “The conclusion of 2023 signifies a significant milestone, marking a decade since the inception of SBP as a not-for-profit organisation. Importantly, for half of that decade, our operations have thrived under the umbrella of multi-stakeholder governance, fostering collaboration and shared responsibility.

“Our future path is guided by a clear strategy, launched in 2023 and tailored to the demands of 2030. This strategic vision is cognisant of the opportunities presented by the global bioeconomy. As we navigate our path, we aim to leverage those opportunities and contribute to a sustainable and thriving future.

“We achieved another noteworthy milestone during the year with the successful completion of our first Standards review and revision, which is a testament to our commitment to excellence. We made significant strides towards the implementation of our revised Standards (v2.0), and throughout the year, our team remained dedicated to this crucial initiative.

“We undertook a comprehensive review of our first Standards review and revision process with the intention of informing the governance and oversight arrangements of our Standards. Thus ensuring that our organisation remains agile, resilient, and aligned with evolving best practices in our industry.

“Following the decrease in Certificate Holder numbers reported for 2022, resulting from terminations due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, I am pleased to report that during 2023 we saw an upward trajectory in our number ending the year with 272 Certificate Holders, an 11% increase. Encouragingly, our pipeline of applicants as at the end of December was very healthy at 75 in number.

“Our geographic reach decreased during the year to 31 countries in total, following the loss of Australia, Chile, and China.

“The volume of SBP-certified biomass produced and sold was down slightly year-on-year at 15.60 million tonnes (2022: 15.95 million tonnes). Our share of the European industrial pellet consumption market¹ increased slightly to 82.8% (2022: 78.9%).

“Amid our evolving landscape, continuous improvement is our one unwavering principle. We are committed to learning from yesterday as we plan for tomorrow. There is always room for improvement and we have delivered much that we can learn from. It is that thought that we will carry with us as we embark on our next decade.”

Notes:
1. Industrial pellet consumption in Europe data supplied by Hawkins Wright (2023 industrial pellet demand estimates for Combined Heat and Power, and dedicated power). Europe refers to Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France (and French territories), Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, United Kingdom and Other EU27.

• the Americas Forum, covering countries in North and South America,
• the Asia Forum, which covers all the countries in Asia, and
• the Europe Forum, which covers European countries.

Peter-Paul Schouwenberg, Head of Stakeholder Management and Sustainability at RWE, has with effect from 3 April 2024 stepped down from his role as a board member of the Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP). Mr Schouwenberg has had a long association with SBP, having served on the board from June 2014 to December 2018 as a representative of RWE (one of the founding members of the organisation), and in a personal capacity since December 2018. We thank him for his valuable contribution to our organisation. We will look to filling his seat over the coming months and will provide an update in due course.

SBP has today published v1.1 of Instruction Document REDII: Bridging Requirements for Meeting REDII and supporting documents, and launched a recorded webinar to provide guidance and assistance to Certificate Holders and Certification Bodies when implementing the requirements.

In December 2023, the European Commission confirmed that, following assessment, the SBP certification scheme was found to meet the existing standards in force on reliability, transparency and independent auditing (for demonstrating compliance with Articles 29(2-7) and 29(10) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001(REDII)), taking into consideration the rules set out in Implementing Regulation 2022/996 and Implementing Regulation 2022/2448.

Instruction Document REDII, v1.1 is applicable to both v1.0 and v2.0 of the SBP Standards. Note that to produce REDII-compliant biomass, Biomass Producers must comply with the relevant SBP Standards and Instruction Document REDII: Bridging Requirements for Meeting REDII. Compliance with REDII requirements is mandatory for all Certificate Holders certified against the SBP Standards v2.0.

The suite of REDII-related documents published today is as follows:

• Instruction Document REDII: Bridging Requirements for Meeting REDII, specifying the bridging requirements between the normative SBP Standards and REDII
• Instruction Document REDII: Scheme principles for management of REDII scheme, specifying the SBP certification scheme principles and internal management system for REDII
• Instruction Document 6D: Methodology for the calculation and certification of GHG emissions savings for REDII, mandatory for Certificate Holders that are required to perform greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions savings calculations in accordance with REDII, otherwise optional
• Audit Checklist for REDII scheme, checklist to be used by Certification Bodies when evaluating compliance with REDII requirements

If you have any questions about EU REDII compliance, please contact our Assurance Manager, Roman Polyachenko.

The Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) has today launched public consultations on the revised Regional Risk Assessments (RRAs) for Denmark and Latvia.

As a result of the Standards Development Process launched in May 2020, both SBP Standards 1 and 2 were revised, thus triggering the review of all existing SBP-endorsed RRAs. Indufor Oy was appointed as the Working Body responsible for reviewing and revising the existing SBP-endorsed RRAs for Denmark and Latvia.

Both revised RRAs have already been subject to a public consultation held by the Working Body. This SBP public consultation is the second and final round of consultation and all stakeholders are invited to comment.

All documents are available via the Feedback Platform for the respective RRAs, as follows:

• For the revised RRA for Denmark, please use the Feedback Platform to provide your comments.
• For the revised RRA for Latvia, please use the Feedback Platform to provide your comments.

Both consultations close on Friday, 8 March 2024.

RRAs are a key part of SBP’s focus on identifying and managing risks associated with sustainably sourcing feedstock for biomass production. With an RRA covering an entire geographic region, and determining the risks associated with sourcing feedstock from that region, the need for individual Biomass Producers to conduct risk assessments is avoided, leading to an efficient and consistent risk assessment process. RRAs also ensure active engagement with a diverse range of stakeholders in the region.