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Factsheet RTRS Roundtable on Responsible Soy EU RED

Online annex7 Factsheet RTRS Final March 2012 · Factsheet RTRS | Factsheet 2012 Page 3 of 17 Colophon Date March, 2012 Status Final version This study was carried out in the framework

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Page 1: Online annex7 Factsheet RTRS Final March 2012 · Factsheet RTRS | Factsheet 2012 Page 3 of 17 Colophon Date March, 2012 Status Final version This study was carried out in the framework

Factsheet RTRS Roundtable on Responsible Soy EU RED

Page 2: Online annex7 Factsheet RTRS Final March 2012 · Factsheet RTRS | Factsheet 2012 Page 3 of 17 Colophon Date March, 2012 Status Final version This study was carried out in the framework
Page 3: Online annex7 Factsheet RTRS Final March 2012 · Factsheet RTRS | Factsheet 2012 Page 3 of 17 Colophon Date March, 2012 Status Final version This study was carried out in the framework

Factsheet RTRS | Factsheet 2012

Page 3 of 17

Colophon

Date March, 2012 Status Final version

This study was carried out in the framework of the Netherlands Programmes Sustainable Biomass by Name organisation SQ Consult B.V. Contact person Jinke van Dam, Sergio Ugarte, Sjors van Iersel

Although this report has been put together with the greatest possible care, NL Agency does not accept liability for possible errors.

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Contact

Netherlands Programmes Sustainable Biomass

Elke van Thuijl and Ella Lammers NL Agency NL Energy and Climate Change Croeselaan 15, 3521 BJ Utrecht P.O. Box 8242, 3503 RE Utrecht The Netherlands Email: [email protected]; [email protected]: +31 88 602 2639; 31 88 602 2569 http://www.agentschapnl.nl/en/programmas-regelingen/sustainable-biomass

SQ Consult BV

Jinke van Dam, Sergio Ugarte and Sjors van Iersel SQ Consult BV Prins Bernhardstraat 27 3981BL Bunnik The Netherlands Email: [email protected]: +31.6.3978.3382 www.sqconsult.com

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Roundtable on Responsible Soy (RTRS)

Feedstock and end-use covered: soy for food, feed and biofuel market

Geographical scope: worldwide (focus on soy regions)

(Based on 31 January 2012)

Level of assurance:

General information

• Fully operational since: 2010

• EC recognized: yes, the variant RTRS EU RED (Round Table on Responsible Soy EU RED) called “RTRS EU RED scheme”. The RTRS EU RED Requirements are developed as an add-on to the RTRS Standard [3]

• Principles: 5 principles (each with extensive set of criteria); GHG reduction, land use and carbon savings are additional for EU RED requirements. RTRS-endorsed National Interpretations are available.

• Type of organization: An international multi-stakeholder initiative, association

• Adherence: member of ISEAL

• Current number of certificates: 10 certified producers and 4 certified CoC companies (as of 3 January 2012).

Auditing requirements (working methods for auditors)

Requirements planning audits (planning, conducting audits, reporting):

• 2 weeks prior to the assessment the certification body (CB) shall publish the intention to carry out an assessment of the operation, including scope of the assessment, on their website and inform RTRS. There is invitation to submit comments [9].

• Compliance assessments shall determine conformity or non-conformity with each indicator of the applicable standard (s); guidance is give [9], also on annual surveillance assessments: The surveillance assessment shall always include a visit to a sample of field sites and to the office(s) or farm from where the operation(s) covered by the certificate are managed [9].

• Opening / closing meetings are part of the audit [9,11].

• For group and multi-site certification: All assessments shall always include a visit to the group manager and assessment of its procedures (risk assessment) and internal control system (ICS) [12]. Assessment of the central administrator/ICS system shall always be included as part of the main certification assessment visit and subsequent surveillance assessments [11].

• An assessment report is prepared (format available with data requirements) [9,11].

• A publicly available summary of information about the performance of each certified organization with respect to each criterion shall be produced. The report shall be published on the CB’s website and RTRS database of registered certificates before a certificate is issued and with subsequent annual updates, to be available within 60 days after the closing meeting at the end of a surveillance assessment [9].

• A certificate shall only be issued after a positive formal certification decision has been taken by the designated certification decision-making entity [3].

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• The CB shall register each new certificate in the RTRS certification database and in its own list of certified organizations [9].

• For CoC: The CB shall report the volume of soy, soy derivatives, or soy-containing products entering and exiting the organization every year [11].

Auditor assessment procedure before entering a scheme (risk analysis):

• The CB shall enter into a contractual agreement for certification services with an operation seeking / holding certification against the relevant RTRS standard [9].

• The CB procedures shall include a specific procedure to determine the number of person-days required for the main COC assessment and surveillance assessments. This shall take into account various factors including size and complexity of operations, geographical distance between sites, complexity of social and environmental context. The procedure shall also include how time should be distributed between sites and/or evidence gathering methods [3].

• CBs shall have a procedure setting out how proposals to undertake certification assessments are developed. This includes as well (apart from above) [9]: Information that must be provided by and to the certification applicant and recording the date of registration of the producer for certification.

• Pre-assessment visits are not obligatory; CBs may offer them as their service [9].

Sampling requirements:

Type of Certification RTRS standard(s) to be used for compliance assessment [9]:

• Individual farm certification

• Certification – multiple sites

• Group certification

In the latter two cases, it is obligatory to operate a mass balance on site level.

CB shall carry determine an appropriate sample size for assessment visits to group members/sites based on: a) the Group Manager’s risk assessment and the CB’s own assessment of risk [12]. Risk factors for main assessment visits [3]:

Low risk factors:

May include a group being located in an area with no known land use conflicts, little or no expansion of soy, low levels of clearance of native vegetation in the region, experience of group manager of running similar schemes or systems, high quality of documented ICS procedures sent to CB prior to site visits.

High risk factors:

May include existence of known land-use conflicts, expansion area for soy, high levels of deforestation or native vegetation clearance for agriculture in the region, inexperienced group management, low quality of ICS procedures received by the CB.

CBs should add their own risk assessment variables to this list, and provide guidance to their auditors for determining risk.

Risk factors for surveillance visits and re-assessments [3]: in addition to above:

• No or few new members added since previous CB assessment

• No expansion of land under soy cultivation since previous CB assessment.

• Very few non-compliances raised on previous assessment

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Selection of sites for evaluation and stratified random sampling:

• Randomness has to ensure that the CB is not influenced by suggestions of the group manager, or ease of vehicle access etc. Guidance is given [12].

• Specific attention given to new members, CARs, non-conformities [12]. Information on new group members and expansion of land under cultivation would be contained in the report from group leader. CB would have map of location of group members from first audit, to judge whether expansion of land under cultivation is a risk [3].

• Auditors should select sites for inspection based on an evaluation of critical points of risk in the management system and potential social and environmental risks identified. The auditor shall visit a sufficient variety and number of sites within each operation selected for evaluation as to make direct, factual observations as to conformity with documents and procedures [9].

Multi-site / group certification requirements main and re-assessments [3]:

Requirements on group or multi-site certification:

A central organization or individual shall manage the group. There are additional requirements on group composition [3]. The group manager shall establish, implement and maintain written procedures for group membership, have an internal control system and internal auditing program. Specific requirements differ for group and multi-site certification [10].

Sampling:

• Minimum permitted sample size is the square root of the number of group members or sites (√y, where y = number of group members or sites) [3]

• For groups categorized by the CB to be anything other than very low risk, a larger sample size is used:(√y) x 1.2 for medium risk, and √y x 1.4 for higher risk [3]

• For surveillance assessments minimum sample size calculations may be adjusted as follows: Minimum permitted (Low risk) = 0.8√y / Minimum for Medium risk = (0.8√y) x (1.2) / Minimum for High risk = (0.8•√) x (1.5) [3]

Partial certification: Organizations with more than one management unit and / or having a controlling interest of more than 51% in more than one company will be permitted to certify individual management units and / or subsidiary companies only if: a) The organization is a member of RTRS, b) has completed a self declaration form, which declares: Their intention to comply with spirit of the RTRS principles and criteria in all the properties that are outside the scope of certification [9].

Multi-site CoC certification:

For the purposes of sampling, Each category will include sites with the same type of operations that are implementing the same type of CoC system(s) [11]:

• For main assessment and re-assessment after 5 years, the minimum number of sampled sites per assessment = square root of number of sites in each category.

• For surveillance assessments: minimum number of sampled sites per audit or surveillance visit = 0.6 times the square root of number of sites in each category.

• Where the combination of sites sampled at the main assessment and the subsequent annual surveillance assessments is fewer than necessary to ensure all sites are visited over the 5 year certificate validity period, the minimum number of sites shall increased each year to ensure at all sites are visited.

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• Site selection shall include at least 30% of randomly selected sites with the remainder chosen taking into account the company’s own risk assessment and the performance of sites during previous audits. A same site may be sampled in consecutive years; in these cases it may be necessary to increase the sample size to ensure all sites are visited at least once during the 5-year certificate validity.

• If a site is added to the scope of the organization’s certificate after the initial audit or annual surveillance and subsequently removed before the next annual surveillance, the CB shall include this site in the next surveillance even though it is no longer included in the scope of the certificate.

• The CB shall not choose sites based on convenience of logistics [11].

Self-declaration:

There is no self-declaration

Stakeholder consultation

2 weeks before auditing procedure, RTRS and CB announce this publicly for consultation. Principle 3 (responsible relations community) includes local stakeholder consultations. Audits include a check on procedures of company, complaint mechanisms etc (pro-active approach).

Auditing frequency:

• As a minimum, annual surveillance assessments; this includes a review of continuing compliance to the applicable standard.

• The CB may make unannounced surveillance assessments [3]. For CoC: The CB shall inform the client of such surveillance assessments with at least 24 hours notice [11].

• Prior to the end of the 5-year period, a full reassessment must take place prior to issuing a new certificate [3]. The CB shall audit all sites participating in the multi-site system at least once during the 5-year validity of the CoC certificate [11]

• Group / multi-site certification: Once the group has been certified the group manager shall carry out an annual internal audit of each member/site at least once during the period of validity of the group certificate (5 years) a year, in addition to their initial entry audit, according the risk assessment developed by the group manager of the member/sites. It is expected that most members will require more frequent internal audits: once in 5 years is the absolute minimum acceptable, and would only be likely for very low risk group members (3).

Maintenance of certificate

A certificate shall be valid for 5 years with a requirement for an annual surveillance assessment [3].

Requirements on missing information during audit:

This is covered under major and minor non-compliances. Procedures and up following actions depend on the relevance of the needed information.

Handling major and minor non-compliances:

The RTRS has established a progressive entry level and a stepwise approach to facilitate producers to step into the RTRS certification [9]: This progressive approach is only for the Principles and Criteria standard [9]:

Immediate compliance 52 indicators

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Short-term compliance 32 indicators

Mid-term compliance 14 indicators

• 1st year of initial certification assessment: A producer is granted with a positive certification decision when he meets all indicators that were classified in document or by the national interpretation as “immediate compliance indicators” and additionally 10% of the total short term compliance indicators or mid term compliance indicators. This is approximately a compliance with 62% of the RTRS standard.

• After 1 year from the date of initial certification assessment (1st annual surveillance assessment): the producer shall meet in addition all short-term compliance indicators. This is approximately a compliance with 86% of RTRS standard.

• After 3 years from the date of the initial certification assessment: the producer shall comply with 100% of the indicators (immediate + mid-term + short term compliance indicators).

Non-conformities:

• All nonconformities shall be classified as minor or major [9]. All non-conformities lead to Corrective Action Requests (CAR) to the certification applicant or holder [9].

• Major non-conformities raised during a surveillance assessment must be closed out to the satisfaction of the CB within 30 days of the CAR being raised. The CB may permit 1 further extension of 3 months, if implementation was not possible due to circumstances beyond the control of the operation manager.

• Failure to do close out the non-conformity during the stated period will result in the suspension of the certificate for a maximum period of 60 days;

• Failure to close out the major non-conformity after this suspension period will result in the certificate being withdrawn. In such a case a new main compliance assessment would be required.

• A Certificate holder found not to comply with the requirements as part of the certification process will be issued with CARs and may have their certificate suspended or withdrawn if the organization fails to close or implement the CARs [7].

• There are specific rules for non-conformities for group and multi-site certification. If any major non-conformity is identified, the group member must not be included in the scope of the certificate until this nonconformity is addressed [10].

Communication of non-compliances or fraud

• Members of the RTRS that use the RTRS trademarks but do not comply with these requirements will be in breach of the RTRS Code of Conduct for Members, and may have their membership suspended or withdrawn [7].

• In the event certification expires, is revoked or somehow terminated, RTRS trademark users shall immediately cease any use of any kind whatsoever of the RTRS trademarks, including claims […] within 3 days of expiration [7].

• RTRS trademarks users shall inform RTRS about any misuse of the RTRS trademarks which they notice or in case such users learn of any misuse of any trademarks of any third party that are confusingly similar to or resembles RTRS trademarks [7].

• Non-compliances or withdrawal from certificates is communicated by the CB to the RTRS

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Dispute resolution / complaints procedures

• Dispute settlement principles and procedures are laid down in the RTRS Dispute Resolution Procedure [7]

• The CB shall develop procedures for dealing with complaints and appeals that are open to any interested party [9].

Limited assurance level:

• No reference to ISAE 3000 standard or “limited assurance”. RTRS certification procedure with annual surveillance checks and sampling methodology for group auditing considered providing a satisfactory level of assurance [3].

• A risk assessment is included for group certification: Prior to admitting any new member/site the group manager shall carry out:

o An initial entry audit of each and every prospective member /site in order to ensure that they fully comply with all the relevant RTRS requirements and standards and all requirements for participation in the group [10];

o A simple risk assessment for each group member; the group manager shall evaluate the level of risk of future non-compliance and/or of failing to make adequate progress in the RTRS’s Progressive Entry Level system [10];

o The group manager shall record the level of risk for each farm [10];

The CB shall not proceed with an audit until it is satisfied that the company’s risk assessment is sufficiently robust [11].

Guidance for auditors:

Yes, see also documents mentioned in reference list. Training is provided as well.

Quality requirements auditors

Rules included on quality requirements auditors:

• A recognized CB must be RTRS accredited. The Application and Approval Process for CBs is described in [9] and includes documentation transfer, signing of contract and a preliminary recognition phase [9].

• The CB shall be a member of the RTRS [9]. The CB shall send at least one appropriate senior representative to the annual CB meeting of the RTRS [9].

• The RTRS may withdraw the right to act as an RTRS CB if the CB: a) Fails to close out a major non-conformance identified during an accreditation visit; b) Fails to meet the terms of contract with RTRS. CBs shall be subject to sanctions if in violation of the requirements and policies of the RTRS (9).

• There are operational requirements and documented procedures for CBs [9]

Skills

• Teams for main assessments and annual surveillance assessments shall be composed of a lead assessor and sufficient team members. Collectively the team members shall be able to cover all elements of the RTRS standard [3];

• Successful completion of an RTRS-endorsed training course for Lead Auditor

• Language skills

• The CB must define the minimum competencies of lead assessors and the requirements for team members. These include demonstrable skills, knowledge RTRS, management skills

• Lead auditor: A minimum of post high (secondary) school diploma or equivalent

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(minimum course duration of 2 years) [11]

• Lead auditor: Supervised period of training in practical auditing by a qualified lead auditor of at least 10 days audit experience [11]

Level of independency / third party verification:

The CB shall maintain a written policy and procedures for avoidance of conflict of interest. A specific independent committee has to manage conflicts of interest if there. Records of committee should be kept 10 years. CBs and members of assessment teams must have maintained independence from the organization or related organizations for a minimum of 5 years [9].

Requirements included in conformity with standards or norms:

• The CB shall comply with the requirements of ISO/IEC Guide 65:1996 and with the additional requirements specified in [9]

• Where CB wish to offer certification services in which they assess farm production / facilities where actual GHG emissions data has been measured, monitored and recorded: compliance of CB ISO 14065: 2007, and/or have experience of carrying out audits in conformity with ISO 14064-3: 20062 [3];

• The CB (documented) procedures to perform an audit shall be consistent with specifications defined in ISO 19011: 2002 [3]

• Lead auditor: completion of one of the following training courses: ISO 9000, 14000, or OHSAS 18000 OR an ISO 19011 course [11]

Control of the auditors

Control of certification bodies:

Only accreditation bodies (Abs) that have been formally endorsed by RTRS may accredit a CB to carry out compliance assessments and award certificates for RTRS [9]. ABs may be National or International Accreditation bodies [3].

• The CB shall achieve a positive accreditation decision by an RTRS-endorsed AB 12 months of the date of signing a contract for preliminary recognition by RTRS [11].

• For each of Soy Production accreditation application, as part of the approval process AB staff shall carry out at least 1 witnessed assessment [9]

• CBs shall be subject to annual surveillance visits by the AB including witnessing field assessments [9]

Requirement of accreditation or recognition of auditors by:

• National Accreditation bodies (Abs) must be: Members of the International Accreditation Forum, Inc. (IAF), and members of the IAF Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA), having been admitted to the MLA in either the QMS (quality management system) MLA or Product MLA category [3]

• International ABs must have full membership of ISEAL [3]

Required norms for auditors, accredited against:

The accreditation body must be operating in accordance with the requirements of ISO 17011:2004 [3]

Chain of custody (CoC):

Description Chain coverage:

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CoC The soy supply chain includes the following operators: producers (growers), crush, refining, esterification and blending, and takes into account storage and transportation up until the point the product is delivered to the market [5].

• The first unit of certification is the farm on which soy is cultivated and is delimited by the farm boundaries. This includes fields where soy is cultivated, but also all non-soy growing areas, non-cultivated areas, infrastructure and installations and other areas that form part of the farm [3]

• The last economic operator in the supply chain shall calculate the total soy methyl ester GHG emissions for cultivation, land use change, transportation and processing.

• String (paper trader): The CoC is a control of physical flows not a Trading control, so it needs to follow all the physical steps where the product is involved (same procedure followed as RSPO) [13]

• Outsourcing activities: The organization shall identify and record all critical control points […] including cases where the organization seeking or holding certification outsources activities to independent third parties (e.g. subcontracts for storage, transport or other outsourced activities) and shall ensure that critical control points are managed according to requirements set out in CoC System module.

• Re-blending: Need for CoC certification still under discussion [13]

Traceability methods included:

RTRS COC Standard v2.0 contains 5 chain of custody modules [3]: A) Mass balance, B) Segregation, C) Multi-site, D) Non-GM and E) EU RED.

Modules can be implemented simultaneously. Modules C and D are designed to be used in conjunction with either Modules A or B. Module E is intended to be used in conjunction with Module A (3). For companies seeking to supply soy, soy derivatives and soy products to the EU biofuel market, they must implement a mass balance system, which includes additional elements, not covered in Module A. In addition to the CoC requirements, supply chain operators must also meet the requirements of the EU RED Compliance Requirements for the Supply Chain [3]

Possibility of less stringent requirements:

Possibility of less stringent requirements:

• Residues: Not relevant

• Smallholders: Yes

Under the RTRS certification scheme a producer is able to certify with the following options (beside individual farm certification):

• Multisite certification: refers to the process of issuing a single certificate which covers a multiple farms (or facilities) which are all under the same single ownership, and subject to the same management and quality systems [10]. Farms are managed by employees of the company holding the certificate [3].

• Group certification: Group certification is a mechanism designed to increase access to RTRS certification for smaller producers. Responsibilities are divided between the group manager (support and control) and the group members [10]. The group certificate shall be held by a group manager and covers all the farm operations participating in the group [12].

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Recognition by other standards:

RTRS is not officially recognized by other standards.

Recognition of other standards

RTRS is currently discussing the possibilities for mutual recognition of systems; this discussion is ongoing and should be based on level playing field.

Information handling

Requirements system on the document management system;

The organization shall operate a documented management system; incl. an auditable system for evidence related to the claims they make or rely on. The organization shall implement keeping system for all records and reports, including purchase and sales documents, training records, production records and volume summaries [3].

Retain data evidence (in number of years)

For CoC (incl producers): The record retention period shall be specified by the organization and shall be at least 5 years [3]

For producers: Records of GHG data and calculations are kept for at least 5 years. Records of the status of the land can include e.g. maps, aerial photographs etc. These records must not be discarded after 5 years. Records of communication must be available [3]. Records of land use status since January 2008 is kept.

Group and multi-site certification: Group manager shall keep up to date records relating to requirements of this standard. All records are kept for at least 5 years [10].

Specification time frame mass balance for operating

The organization has to record the quantity of RTRS mass balance inputs received. Only RTRS data that have been recorded in the material accounting system within the inventory period (including data carried-over from the previous period) shall be allocated to outputs supplied within the inventory period (3).

Continuous balancing:

Organisations need to ensure that “physical material is monitored on a real-time basis, the physical quantity is at least the same as in the administrative system and that the administrative system is never overdrawn” [3]. RTRS data are valid for 24 months from the date it was first recorded in the material accounting system [3].

Fixed inventory periods

• After an economic operator receives RTRS mass balance certification, the first inventory period for the mass balance may be applied retrospectively up to and including the previous harvest season. Alternatively, it may be applied entirely forward looking, provided it does not exceed 12 months or include any of the subsequent harvest seasons. Under no circumstances shall the total first inventory period exceed 12 months [3].

• After the first inventory period, the organization shall ensure that the quantity of RTRS mass balance material inputs and outputs (volume or weight) are balanced within a fixed inventory period, which does not exceed 3 months [3].

• Each supply chain operator (harvest, processing, storage) must declare the time period of their inventory to their CB, at the point when they first receive certification (for the first inventory period) or at the beginning of the inventory period (for subsequent periods) [3].

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Prevention double claiming or counting

• The organization shall verify the validity and scope of the supplier’s RTRS certificate at least every 6 months or when entering into a purchase contract for products [3].

• The organization shall also ensure that the output of RTRS EU RED Mass balance material supplied to customers from the physical site does not exceed the input of RTRS EU RED Mass balance material received at the physical site, using either a continuous accounting system (e.g. a database) or fixed inventory period [3].

• The organization has to identify and document the main processing steps involving a change of material volume or weight, and either measure each subsequent fraction to determine its actual quantity, or specify the conversion factors(s) for each processing step… [3].

• RTRS data have to be recorded in the material accounting system by the organization after it has gained legal ownership of the input material, and has ensured the supporting documentation contains the correct RTRS information [3]

Quality requirements (information system)

• There are requirements for producers on handling of RTRS certified material, record keeping and procedures. Specific requirements are given for group managers on internal audits and control system.

• Responsibilities of the organization on the Chain of Custody management system are defined (e.g. management, training, procedures, record keeping).

• The organization has to identify and record critical control points in its organizations

• Accounting: type of material accounting system (continuous balancing or fixed inventory), information requirements, inputs and outputs, allocation within the accounting system.

Handling of certificates (or proof of sustainability) throughout the chain

• The organization shall ensure that RTRS certified products are always supplied with the corresponding RTRS claim on their sales and transport documentation, as set out in the RTRS Communications and Claims Policy [8]

• Information is provided on the content of the certificate [8]

• Invoices issued for outputs (and input) supplied with RTRS claims include as information [8]: Identification of the organization and customer, Date when the document was issued, Description of the products, Quantity of the products sold, the applicable RTRS Chain of Custody system used and the organization’s RTRS CoC certificate number.

• If separate transport documents are issued, information sufficient to link the invoice and related transport documentation to each other is available. The organization shall include in the related transport documentation the same information as required above, if the invoice (or copy of it) is not included with the shipment of the product [8]

Information requirements for stakeholders in the value chain

• Supplier validation; procedures on how to validate this;

• Handling or RTRS certified material: identification of inputs (invoice and supporting documentation);

• Identification of outputs and guidance on what to communicate to the next

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economic operator in the supply chain;

• Detailed information is given on the accounting system and how to process and record data within the operating company.

Costs:

Direct costs of system

Cost of certification

After the producer has successfully passed the certification assessment, the RTRS charges a unique fee at producer level, a 0,30 Euro per ton of certified soy product. This one time 0,30 Euro fee is used for maintenance of the Certificate Trading Platform (which will allow producers to trade their credits), the IT Platform and Secretariat/Association structure [4]

Cost of membership

The following membership fees apply to RTRS:

Producer Associations and Producers (10.000 ha) 2.500 Euro

NGO (with the following characteristics: internationals, from a developed country, and with an annual budget over 250.000 Euros)

2.500 Euro

Industry 2.500 Euro

All others including:

# NGOs with only one or two of the indicated characteristics

# For the purposes of membership fees, small scale producers are defined as individual producers with a production area smaller than 10.000 ha

250 Euro

Cost of auditing

• All costs for certification must be agreed in advance between the CB and the certification applicant and paid by the certification applicant [9]. RTRS expects to define more specific guidance for CBs with regard to the number of person-days required in the field for adequate assessment of farms of different sizes [9].

• The CB procedure shall also include how time should be distributed between sites and/or evidence gathering methods. Considering that no main or re-assessment will be conducted in less than 2 full physical field days [9].

• Aspects that may increase the number of days required and need to be taken into account when budgeting for soy production assessments include [9]; Difficult access or stakeholder context, significant number of complaints or a new country/region.

• Aspects which may decrease the number of person-days required and need to be taken into account when budgeting for soy production management assessments (the highest deduction allowed is 20% for 2 or more the options below) [9]: Individual farm certification with less than 500 hectares, Family farms production or little subcontracted labour

References:

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1. Strengths and limitations of the Round Table for Responsible Soy --- RTRS in Mato Grosso, Brazil, by Mateo Mier y Terán, Paper presented at the International Conference on Global Land Grabbing, 6-8 April 2011

2. Soy Strategic Gap Analysis: Brazil and Argentina, ICONE team, July 2011

3. European Commission, Assessment of Round Table on Responsible Soy Version 2.0 with EU RED Requirements, Version as submitted on 11 May 2011

4. RTRS SUPPLY FLOW & FEE, 2-page document received from RTRS Secretariat, December 2011

5. RTRS EU RED Compliance Requirements for the Supply Chain, Version 3.0_ENG, March 2011

6. RTRS EU RED Compliance Requirements for Producers, Version 3.0_ENG, March 2011

7. RTRS EU RED Communications and Claims Policy, Version 1.0_ENG, March 2011

8. RTRS Chain of Custody Standard, Version 2.1_ ENG, May 2011

9. RTRS Accreditation and Certification Standard for responsible soy production, Version 3.2_ENG, March 2011

10. RTRS Group and Multi-site Certification Standard, Version 2.0_ENG, March 2010

11. RTRS Accreditation and Certification Standard: for Chain of Custody Certification Version 2.0_ENG, November 2010

12. RTRS Group and Multi-site certification requirements for CBs_V1.0_ENG, December 2010

13. Personal communication with B. Zeehandelaar, outreach manager RTRS, December 2011

Page 17: Online annex7 Factsheet RTRS Final March 2012 · Factsheet RTRS | Factsheet 2012 Page 3 of 17 Colophon Date March, 2012 Status Final version This study was carried out in the framework

Factsheet RTRS | Factsheet 2012

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