Governance

The Biodiversity Standard Council

The scientific-governance body of DAVANTI that approves the BPS methodological framework, independently of IRICE which operates the tool - so that the method rests on a governance distinct from its operator.

The BPS methodology Contact IRICE

Mandate & scope of approval

What the council is meant to approve

The role of the BSC is to review and approve the BPS methodological framework - its rules, criteria and scoring logic - and to secure its scientific rigour and the traceability of its evolutions.

Reviewing the framework

The BSC is intended to review the BPS methodological framework - its rules, its criteria and its scoring logic - before each version is approved.

Approving each version

A referential version is meant to enter into force once it has been examined and approved, so that the method rests on a governance beyond its operator.

Securing the evolutions

The mandate covers the scientific rigour of the method and the traceability of its successive versions, so that every change can be documented.

Separation of ownership and operation

The principle: separate who owns the method from who operates the evaluation

The governance is designed to separate the ownership of the referential from the operation of the evaluation. This separation answers the requirement of Directive (EU) 2024/825 on environmental claims. It is being implemented - presented here as a roadmap in progress, not as an accomplished fact.

Ownership of the method

The BSC is intended to hold the approval of the framework.

Operation of the evaluation

IRICE, a third-party evaluation body accredited by Cofrac under no. 5-0655 for its certification activities, operates the tool and conducts the assessments.

On the roadmap

The separation is being implemented, step by step.

Directive (EU) 2024/825 asks that an environmental claim rest on a method whose governance is distinct from the party that operates and communicates on it. The separation of ownership and operation is the response being built into the BPS governance.

Composition & appointment

Members independent of the operator, appointment rules being established

The intent is a council of scientific and professional members independent of the operator of the tool. The composition and the appointment procedure are being finalised and will be published as they are formalised.

Independent members

The intent is a council of scientific and professional members independent of the operator of the tool, so that the approval of the framework rests on expertise external to its operation.

Appointment rules

The appointment rules and the term of office are being established; they will be set out before the council is convened.

Published once finalised

The composition and the appointment procedure are being finalised and will be published as they are formalised.

Transparency

Published as it is formalised

The mandate, the composition and the approval procedure of the Biodiversity Standard Council will be published as they are formalised - so that the governance behind the BPS framework can be read and understood.

A framework owned by DAVANTI and approved by a governance independent of the operator, with a tool operated by IRICE, a third-party evaluation body.

The BPS methodology The BSC on the IRICE site