ISO Introduces New Umbrella Standards for Chain of Custody

Original Publication: nen.nl

February 2, 2026

Building trust through chain of custody 

Chain of custody refers to the systematic recording and control of material flows throughout the supply chain, from origin to end product. It enables organizations to make credible and verifiable claims regarding origin, sustainability, legality and regulatory compliance. As global value chains grow increasingly complex and as sustainable, recycled and renewable materials are used at scale, effective CoC systems are essential to ensure transparency, trust and integrity.

Building on ISO 22095:2020 

The new standards were developed to strengthen and operationalize the existing ISO 22095:2020 framework. While ISO 22095:2020 established general principles and terminology for chain of custody, ISO 22095-2 and ISO 22095-3 provide harmonized, detailed requirements and guidelines on e.g. CoC system boundaries, evaluation periods, claims, implementation methods and avoidance of double counting. ISO 22095-2 and ISO 22095-3 are intentionally designed to be applicable across industries, including the chemical industry, biofuels and bioplastics, agri-food value chains, metal processing, and many others. Their role as umbrella standards ensures consistency, supports certification bodies and policymakers, and facilitates cross-border trade by creating a shared international reference framework.

Key benefits of ISO 22095 parts 2 and 3  

Experts of ISO/TC 308 emphasize the importance of the broad applicability of ISO 22095-2 and ISO22095-3. Shannon Milburn, Circular Products Business Readiness Manager at ExxonMobil, states that ISO 22095-2 “establishes a framework for chain of custody providing requirements that apply across any industry. Its structure enables organizations to implement mass balance approaches consistently and transparently, setting a foundation that can be verified and trusted”.

Victoria Norman, Executive Director of SCS Standards, highlights that the standard responds to long-standing challenges related to ambiguity and misinterpretation, noting that ISO 22095-2 provides “a much-needed framework to help organizations develop and implement mass balance systems that are credible, fit-for-purpose, and easy to communicate,” thereby strengthening trust and harmonization in sustainability claims.

ISO 22095-3, focusing on the book and claim CoC model, is described by Osman Düzgün, Book and Claim & Carbon Insetting Specialist at 123Carbon, as “a vital instrument for accelerating the decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors. It provides a globally aligned foundation for the development of transparent and credible book and claim systems, essential for building trust and enabling market adoption. As industries, NGOs, and policymakers increasingly recognize the role of book and claim-based EACs (Environmental Attribute Certificates), the publication of ISO 22095-3 comes at a critical moment to support the implementation of high-integrity book and claim systems for sustainable EACs.

Enabling industry and product transformation 

More broadly, the standards are seen as foundational for future standardization efforts. Christian Krüger, Chair of ISO/TC 207/SC 5 (Life Cycle Assessment) and Head of Standardization Green Transformation at BASF SE, notes that ISO 22095-2 and ISO 22095-3 “play a central role in enabling the green transformation across many industries. They define globally harmonized core requirements for implementing mass balance and book and claim approaches. Above all, these ISO standards establish the fundamental principles for future standardization, e.g., in Life Cycle Assessment (e.g. ISO 14077), Product Carbon Footprinting (e.g. ISO 14067), as well as sector‑specific standards for materials and products (e.g., plastics, steel) and respective industry segments (e.g., automotive, construction)".

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SCS Standards and Assurance Systems is an organization committed to the development of standards that advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Standards are developed in alignment with best practices and guidelines provided by internationally recognized bodies to ensure a robust, transparent, and collaborative approach. SCS Standards is the official standards development body for Scientific Certification Systems, Inc. For more information, visit www.SCSstandards.org.