RSB CORSIA Certification: Sustainability Verification for Aviation Fuel Supply Chains

Overview

CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) is a global aviation emissions framework adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to help stabilize emissions from international flights. Under the scheme, airlines can reduce offsetting obligations by using eligible Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The RSB CORSIA Certification, developed by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) and approved by ICAO in 2020, specifically covers SAF supply chains linked to CORSIA compliance. It applies to SAF derived from biomass, waste and residues, end-of-life products, and municipal solid waste. The scheme incorporates ICAO sustainability criteria, including lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction thresholds, carbon stock protections, and sustainability requirements for feedstock sourcing. Full RSB certification also includes broader environmental and social requirements covering labor conditions, land rights, food security, and human rights. In addition, the certification includes chain-of-custody and traceability requirements designed to track SAF and feedstocks across complex international aviation fuel supply chains.

Certification Requirements

The RSB CORSIA Certification uses a risk-based framework, with requirements varying depending on the operator’s role in the SAF supply chain and the feedstocks used. The scheme applies globally to feedstock producers, SAF producers and refiners, traders, distributors, blenders, and other operators taking legal ownership of certified fuel or feedstocks. Key certification requirements generally include:

• Compliance with ICAO CORSIA sustainability criteria

• Lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting and emissions calculations

• Documentation of feedstock origin and sustainability characteristics

• Chain-of-custody and traceability systems

• Independent third-party auditing by an approved certification body

Organizations can pursue either full RSB CORSIA certification, which includes RSB’s broader environmental and social sustainability framework, or a CORSIA-only certification focused specifically on ICAO fuel eligibility requirements. The certification process typically involves defining the certification scope, completing a risk assessment, preparing operational and traceability documentation, undergoing an independent audit, and addressing any non-conformities before approval.

Current Status

The RSB Standard for CORSIA (RSB-STD-12-001) reached version 1.7 in April 2026, reflecting ongoing updates to sustainability, lifecycle accounting, and traceability requirements for SAF supply chains. The RSB CORSIA Certification has become part of the growing SAF certification ecosystem supporting aviation decarbonization and international compliance markets. Demand for certified SAF has increased as airlines, fuel suppliers, airports, and traders seek verified pathways to reduce lifecycle aviation emissions under ICAO’s CORSIA framework. RSB continues to update its standards alongside evolving ICAO implementation rules and SAF policy developments, with ongoing attention to feedstock sustainability, waste-based fuel pathways, indirect land-use impacts, and supply-chain transparency.

Resources

• RSB CORSIA Certification Overview
  https://rsb.org/certification/certification-schemes/rsb-corsia-certification/

• RSB Standard for ICAO CORSIA
  https://www.icao.int/sites/default/files/environmental-protection/CORSIA/Documents/RSB-STD-12-001-RSB-ICAO-CORSIA_v1.1.pdf

• RSB Academy – ICAO CORSIA Certification Course- https://academy-rsborg.talentlms.com/catalog/info/id%3A166

• IATA Guidance on SAF Sustainability Certification - https://www.iata.org/en/programs/sustainability/reports/saf-sustainability-certification-guidance-june-2024/section-3/