ISCC reaches highest score in EUDR compliant plus benchmark for EUDR-ready, deforestation-free soy standards
The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) fundamentally changes the conditions for placing soy, cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, and wood on the EU market. In response, companies are increasingly exploring whether certification systems can help support EUDR due diligence.
The latest soy standards benchmark, commissioned by WWF Germany and conducted by Profundo with support from IUCN NL and van Dam Consulting, directly addresses this question. It reviews twenty voluntary standards against the FEFAC Soy Sourcing Guidelines and assesses how far they have evolved since 2023. The benchmark study particularly assesses the standards’ responses to EUDR requirements, broader deforestation- and conversion-free sourcing expectations, and wider environmental and social criteria. The results acknowledge that the ISCC EUDR add-on for ISCC EU and ISCC PLUS ranks among the best voluntary standard systems in the benchmark. It performs particularly strongly in EUDR readiness, deforestation-free sourcing, traceability, independent assurance and governance.
Why EUDR changes the soy conversation
The EUDR is highly relevant for soy supply chains with imports to Europe. Companies must collect and assess reliable information, including geolocation data, demonstrate compliance with relevant legislation in the country of production, and ensure that products are not linked to deforestation after the EUDR cut-off date of 31 December 2020. Certification can support this process, but it does not replace companies’ legal responsibility to conduct due diligence.
Defining EUDR readiness in soy supply chains
In practice, the benchmark identifies several expectations that are especially relevant for EUDR-related soy sourcing:
- No deforestation: Soy must not originate from land deforested after the applicable cut-off date.
- Plot-level traceability: Geolocation information must connect soy volumes to the land where they were produced.
- Legality: Production must comply with relevant laws in the country of origin, including land-use, environmental, labour and human rights provisions.
- Segregated flows: EUDR-compliant material must be kept separate from material of unknown or non-compliant origin.
The ISCC EUDR add-on: strong results where EUDR readiness counts
Among the standards assessed, ISCC EU and PLUS – when combined with the EUDR add-on – stand out for their strong performance across the benchmark’s key categories. In combination with the EUDR add-on, both schemes receive the highest possible rating in EUDR readiness, social criteria, and governance and assurance. They are also placed among the leading schemes for deforestation-and conversion-free requirements and good agricultural practices, resulting in the highest-ranking overall performance.
Deforestation-free is the baseline, conversion-free the next step
One important insight from the benchmark is that EUDR compliance alone is not the end point for responsible soy. While the regulation focuses on deforestation, sustainable soy strategies increasingly need to address the conversion of other natural ecosystems, including savannahs, wetlands, grasslands, peatlands and culturally significant landscapes. This is where ISCC EU and ISCC PLUS add value beyond regulatory compliance. ISCC applies land-use requirements that address not only forest loss, but also the conversion of non-forest ecosystems. The benchmark notes that the schemes use a January 2008 cut-off date for relevant no-conversion requirements, going beyond the EUDR’s 2020 deforestation cut-off date in important areas.
Want to learn more about ISCC EU and ISCC PLUS?
The schemes address land-use change and ecosystem conversion beyond forest protection, supporting companies that want to demonstrate both deforestation-free and conversion-free sourcing with a framework for moving from legal minimum compliance to broader sustainability leadership. For companies sourcing soy, this distinction matters. EUDR readiness supports market access, and conversion-free assurance helps demonstrate long-term responsibility in landscapes where agricultural expansion remains a major sustainability risk.
Governance, assurance and social safeguards: why credibility matters
The benchmark further underlines a central point for the market: certification is only useful for due diligence when it is backed by credible systems. This includes transparent requirements, independent auditing, clear procedures for non-conformities, and governance structures that prevent the dominance of a single interest group.
- Governance: Our governance structure includes balanced stakeholder representation and decision-making safeguards.
- Assurance: Certification bodies and auditors must be independent, impartial, and competent, with audit controls and procedures for non-conformities in place.
- Social safeguards: ISCC EU and ISCC PLUS cover core labour and human rights requirements.
Turning EUDR due diligence into practice with the EUDR add-on
Certification is an important risk mitigation measure, but it cannot replace operators’ due diligence. The ISCC EUDR add-on offers a certification-based route to compliance by adding key EUDR requirements into existing ISCC audits. From deforestation analysis and legality checks to traceability, risk assessment, and reporting for due diligence statements, it helps companies turn complex regulatory obligations into practical, auditable steps across the supply chain.
A strong benchmark result for an EUDR-driven market
For companies preparing for EUDR implementation, the EUDR add-on in combination with ISCC EU and ISCC PLUS certification offers a robust and practical approach to support EUDR-related due diligence while also addressing sustainability expectations that go beyond the regulation. Their strong benchmark performance confirms ISCC’s relevance for reliable, deforestation-free and conversion-free soy sourcing in Europe.
Get involved!
We recently launched the new Stakeholder Committee – Agri-Food and Feed to provide an interactive forum for exchange on topics such as EUDR, deforestation-free supply chains and responsible sourcing.
