The workshop organised on the 11th of November 2024 in Brussels focused on discussing the costs, benefits, and feasibility analysis of improving the effectiveness and transparency of sustainability certification schemes and labels in the bio-based sector and gathered 43 participants.
Participants gained valuable insights into how Life Cycle Costing (LCC) can effectively evaluate the economic benefits and hidden costs associated with certification schemes.
The workshop included a detailed analysis of the various cost and benefit factors relevant to certification. A practical case study from the biopolyethylene value chain presented the socio-economic and environmental impacts of certification on bio-based products. Additionally, key challenges that businesses and stakeholders face when adopting certification schemes were discussed. Attendees actively engaged in discussions to develop strategies for overcoming these obstacles, which will contribute to recommendations for the European Commission aimed at improving the cost-effectiveness of certification.
Finally, the workshop highlighted the importance of considering both financial performance and environmental/social externalities, providing a holistic understanding of the true value of certification schemes.
This co-creation event aimed to bring together industries, businesses, certification schemes and label owners, monitoring system representatives, policymakers, and other stakeholders with expertise in the sustainability of bio-based products.
The goal was to advance the conversation on sustainability certification for bio-based systems, and it certainly achieved that!
