Third party assurance of sustainability reporting
The Smart Freight Centre Conformity Assessment Scheme (SFC CAS) for 'Validation and verification of GHG emissions statements for transport chains' provides a global scheme for independent assurance of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
What is the SFC CAS?
The SFC CAS is a logical step in our collaborative work to identify solutions and advocate logistics decarbonization strategies. SFC developed the GLEC Framework, which was the foundation for the new ISO 14083:2023 standard. ISO 14083 further standardized calculation and reporting of GHG emissions from transport chains. Now that ISO 14083 is published, we are focusing on ensuring competent assurance of the reported information.
Third party assurance of sustainability reporting information enhances its credibility. It provides trust that the information is accurate, relevant, reliable and complete. When GHG emissions are verified, stakeholders feel more confident in the data that is reported. Stakeholders include scope 3 emissions reporters which need to report on the data provided by their contractors or suppliers.
In SFC’s scheme, conformity with ISO 14083 is mandatory, as is third-party verification. The scheme also provides optional performance levels for reporters to apply for, as they move forward along their decarbonization journey.
The SFC CAS aims to:
- Recognize and encourage reporters’ efforts to determine, disclose, manage and reduce their GHG emissions;
- Provide a database for reporters to demonstrate that they comply with key standards for calculating and reporting GHG emissions in the transport sector;
- Share tools with stakeholders, such as a template for Emissions Report and a list of tools and programs approved by SFC as being compliant with ISO14083.
- Provide high-quality training for emissions reporters and verifiers on the ISO 14083 standard;
- Offer a database of Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs) that reporters can trust to carry out a competent, impartial verification service;
- Specify clear rules for verifying GHG emissions, appropriate for the transport sector, that ensure a consistent approach is applied to all reporters.
List of Approved Validation and Verification Bodies
Name and Address of VVB: VERIFAVIA SAS, 33 AVENUE DU MAINE 75015 PARIS FRANCE SIREN N° 520641093.
Contact Details: sustainability@ verifavia.com
Technical scope: GHG emission statements in accordance with ISO 14083 for freight transport
Geographical scope: Worldwide
List of approved auditors: Nilay Warkhedkar, Patricia Esther Pinilla, Rajat Bishnoi
Approval date and status: 22.11.2023, Approved
Accreditation body: COFRAC
Apply for approval as a VVB and/or as a verifier
Request an application form through assurance@smartfreightcentre.org.
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Contact us
If you’d like to learn more through a virtual meeting, please get in touch with us through assurance@smartfreightcentre.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
You should always select a VVB which is accredited under ISO 17029 for verification of GHG statements – ask the verifiers you are interacting with to send you their accreditation certificate to demonstrate their competence for GHG assurance.
But we have gone one step further and developed a scheme to ensure you select a VVB that knows about GHG verification in your respective sector. Check out our list of Approved VVBs – which demonstrates their competence for GHG assurance in the freight sector.
SFC approval of VVBs aims to support reporters by listing VVBs that can be trusted to carry out a competent, impartial verification service. We offer customized training just for applicant VVBs, and once their verifiers pass the related exam, we maintain a list of VVBs who are approved by Smart Freight Centre under our Conformity Assessment Scheme. The list went live in November 2023 and will continue to be updated as more VVBs apply and pass our exam.
It means the VVB has applied for SFC approval and has passed all steps except for one. The step that is missing in this case is the VVB’s individual verifiers taking a specific training course delivered by SFC. This is planned to take place soon. Once the verifiers have successfully passed the subsequent examination, the VVB will be listed as approved by SFC. This status is described in our VVB Manual, which can be downloaded on this page.
Yes we do. Contact us through assurance@smartfreightcentre.org to get it for free.
First you select a VVB which has been approved by us to verify your Emissions Report and confirm what level of performance you are on (1, 1+, 2, 2+, 3 or 3+).
You only need to apply to the SFC CAS once you have received your final Verification report from the VVB. Read our Emissions Reporter Manual for more details.
SFC currently offers an Accreditation service that calculation tool providers can use to have their calculation and reporting methodology checked against the GLEC Framework. This service will be updated soon to offer approval directly against the ISO 14083:2023 standard.
The GLEC Framework remains the primary industry guideline to support the implementation of ISO 14083. It will be developed further along industry needs which includes updated emission factors, default emission intensities, sector-specific application guidance and other topics. These industry-led updates will feed into future versions of the ISO 14083 standard.
Yes! We will offer separate courses for VVBs and Emissions Reporters. If you are interested in training for VVB personnel, please get in touch via assurance@smartfreightcentre.org. If you are interested in training for Emissions Reporters, please get in touch via training@smartfreightcentre.org.
Verification bodies are eligible to provide verification services under the SFC CAS if they are accredited under ISO 17029 for application of ISO 14065 for verification of GHG statements for the transport sector, by an accreditation body that is a signatory of the International Accreditation Forum Multilateral Agreement for GHG Verification.
Verification services must be carried out by persons who have been approved by SFC. This is achieved by attending the SFC training course on ISO 14083 and passing the associated exam.
Read our VVB Manual for more details. Request our application form through assurance@smartfreightcentre.org.
Our assurance fees for VVBs and emissions reporters can be found in the links on this page.