Preferred by Nature offers verification for biomass producers and traders against the Responsible Biomass Producer standard (RBP), which aligns with the Danish RED biomass legislation and supplements recognised schemes such as SBP, PEFC, and FSC.
RBP Verification applies to biomass producers and traders for the following biomass categories:
| Biomass Category | Biomass | Remark |
| Woody Biomass from Agriculture | Wood chips | |
| Forest Biomass | Wood chips | Danish origin only, unless sourced as FSC, PEFC or SBP certified |
| Residues from wood industries | Wood chips | Sourced as FSC, PEFC or SBP certified |
| Waste and residues from production other than agriculture, forestry, and wood industry) | Wood chips | Fruit residues, nut and seed shells, and kernels and stones from fruits and berries |
| Wood waste | Wood chips | Wood from gardens, parks, and infrastructure inside and outside Denmark |
| Non-forest biomass | Wood chips |
How is the certification process?
Kick off your certification process and receive a service quote by completing our service request form here or by contacting us directly. We will provide guidance to help you determine the certification scope that best suits your needs and company setup. The process typically includes the following steps:
Step 1: Certification scope
We will help you define your certification scope. Upon accepting our offer, a Preferred by Nature contact will be assigned to your organization and will provide essential information on certification scope and evaluation criteria to get started.
Step 2: Certification preparation
Biomass producers and Traders shall document and implement procedures applicable to the RBP criteria for the business activities and biomass types.
Step 3: On-site evaluation
When you are prepared, we will conduct an on-site assessment, reviewing documents, conducting field observations, and interviewing staff and stakeholders to evaluate SBP compliance with applicable criteria.
Step 4: Draft report
We will prepare a draft report reviewed by a senior Preferred by Nature expert and share it for your comments before finalisation.
Step 5: Certification
Upon achieving a positive outcome, your RBP certificate is issued and registered in the Preferred by Nature public certificate database. Subject to continuous compliance with applicable criteria, the certificate is valid for five years, with annual audits. Renewal requires re-assessment.
Complaints and resolutions
If a complaint is raised about our certification services or one of our clients, we handle it in accordance with our Dispute Resolution Policy. We may call on our Impartiality Committee if Preferred by Nature’s impartiality is in question.
Responsible Biomass Producer and Trader standard (RBP)
Preferred by Nature’s RBP Standard includes a set of criteria applicable to producers and traders of the following biomass types (ref. classification published by the Danish Energy Agency in September 2025).
Download the biomass type categorisation here.
The Standard covers everything from biomass sourcing to its transportation and use. It is based on the following principles:
- Sustainability: Biomass should be produced in a way that does not harm the environment or human health.
- Legality: Biomass should be produced in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
- Transparency: Biomass producers and traders should be transparent about their operations and the sources of their biomass.
- Traceability: Biomass should be traceable from the forest source to the point of use.
- Cascading: From 1st of July 2026, cascading criteria are mandatory for forest and non-forest biomass.
Applicable Standards
RBP Biomass Producer and trader standard: This standard includes criteria mandatory for all RBP certificate holders. Download the RBP standard here.
RBP VEIII Addendum (Tillæg): This standard includes criteria mandatory to all RBP certificate holders from REDIII entry into force. Download the RBP standard here.
RBP Verified organisations: RBP Verified biomass producers and traders are listed in the Preferred by Nature certificate database here.
Verification is valid for the specified period unless otherwise indicated. For suspended and terminated certificates, the verification is invalid from the indicated expiry date, and from that date the company cannot claim biomass as verified by Preferred by Nature.
Apply for RBP Verification
If you are interested in verification as a biomass producer or trader and would like to receive an offer from us, please complete this form here.
Regional Risk Assessments and Analysis of other Documentation
Under the Danish RED biomass legislation, certain certification schemes can document compliance with sustainability requirements for specific biomass types. However, certification is not mandatory if compliance with relevant legal requirements can be documented otherwise.
Preferred by Nature has conducted analyses that form the basis for verifying biomass not covered by recognised certifications.
Forest Biomass and Industrial Residual Wood from Sweden
Note that this analysis is based on the Danish REDII requirements and has not been aligned with the Danish REDIII requirements.
The analysis covers the biomass categories Forest Biomass and Industrial Residual Wood harvested in Sweden. It assesses whether biomass not covered by a recognised certification scheme meets the relevant Danish legal requirements. This includes determining whether FSC Controlled Wood-certified biomass from Sweden meets the necessary Danish legal requirements.
>> Download the report with conclusions
Non-forest biomass from Schleswig-Holstein
Note that this analysis is based on the Danish REDII requirements and has not been aligned with the Danish REDIII requirements.
The analysis concerns non-forest biomass originating from Schleswig-Holstein. As of March 2023, the Danish Energy Agency does not recognise certification schemes for this biomass type. The analysis evaluates whether the management of non-forest areas in the region is covered by legislation that sufficiently ensures compliance with relevant Danish legal requirements for this biomass type.
>> Download the report with conclusions
How the Preferred by Nature Sustainability Framework Certification scheme is governed
The Preferred by Nature Sustainability Framework Certification (PBN SFC) scheme operates under a governance system designed to support transparency, impartiality, accountability and stakeholder participation.
The system defines how the scheme is managed, how standards and procedures are developed and revised, and how certification activities are independently assessed and overseen.
The scheme owner and the certification body are separate legal entities, with different staff, reporting lines and responsibilities. The scheme is owned by Preferred by Nature F.M.B.A. in Denmark, while certification is carried out by Preferred by Nature OÜ in Estonia, which holds the accreditation under which all certification activities are performed and takes certification decisions independently. Both entities sit within the Preferred by Nature organisational umbrella.
The scheme's governance structure also includes internal decision-making bodies, external stakeholder representation and mechanisms for stakeholder engagement and dispute resolution.
Scheme governance documents
The following documents describe the governance structure, procedures and requirements supporting the operation and integrity of the PBN SFC scheme.
Governance structure, roles and responsibilities
Explains how the PBN SFC scheme is governed, including the responsibilities of its governance bodies, decision-making processes, stakeholder participation and dispute handling.
Standard development and revision
Describes how PBN SFC standards are developed, reviewed and revised, including stakeholder consultations, approval processes and transition arrangements.
Development and revision of SFC scheme documents
Sets out the procedures for developing, reviewing, approving and publishing scheme documents other than normative standards, including governance procedures and supporting documents.
Requirements for accreditation bodies
Defines the requirements for accreditation bodies overseeing certification bodies operating under Preferred by Nature Sustainability Framework Certification, including competence, impartiality, information sharing and cooperation with the scheme owner.
Assurance requirements
Establishes the requirements for certification bodies conducting PBN SFC audits and certification activities, including auditor competence, certification decisions, surveillance, impartiality and quality assurance.
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