EU recognises Bonsucro's production standard

Bonsucro's certification scheme, used to certify the sustainable production of sugarcane, has been formally recognised by the EU.

Ethanol certified by Bonsucro conforms to the requirements of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and the EU Fuels Quality Directive (FQD).

'Bonsucro EU certification will not only show compliance with the Union's sustainability rules, but also guarantees environmental and social performance criteria that exceed EU requirements,' says Kevin Ogorzalek, chairman of Bonsucro. 'Sugarcane ethanol is a clean and renewable fuel that reduces GHG emissions by more than 70% according to the EU legislation. It will help the EU to meet its 2020 environmental target by reducing Europe's carbon footprint in the transport sector while improving energy security.

'EU recognition is a big milestone for the social and environmental sustainability of sugarcane biofuels imported into Europe. It will enable our members to demonstrate their commitment to continuous improvement, while giving customers confidence that their biofuel products have been produced sustainably.'

Bonsucro's Production Standard is the world's first impact-based standard, which addresses legal compliance; biodiversity and ecosystem services; labour standards; and continuous improvement throughout the production process. This is assessed against indicators such as energy consumption, land use, greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption.