Independent Consultant - Sustainable Bio-Materials & Regulatory Compliance

RSB – Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials is a global, multi-stakeholder organisation dedicated to driving the truly sustainable development of the bioeconomy. Frequently recognised as an industry leader in supply chain sustainability, RSB applies its best-in-class sustainability framework across sectors including aviation, chemicals, materials, and shipping.

Our small, dedicated team operates remotely from countries around the world, working collaboratively with a diverse base of member organisations, industry partners, and policymakers. For more information, please visit www.rsb.org .

Purpose of This Call

RSB now invites eligible firms and individuals (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services described below. This Call for Expressions of Interest is not yet linked to a specific project or immediate assignment . RSB is building a pre-approved External Consultant Roster: a qualified pool of selected specialists and organisations that will be called upon for project-based work for the next 2-3 years.

We are primarily seeking to engage consultancy firms, agencies, and other established organisations, providers that can offer dedicated capacity, depth of expertise, and continuity across assignments. At the same time, we warmly welcome expressions of interest from independent consultants and other individual specialists whose qualifications and experience match the profiles sought. Throughout this document, “Consultant” refers to both firms and individuals unless stated otherwise.

Consultants accepted onto the roster will complete a brief onboarding process to become familiar with RSB’s systems, ways of working, and sustainability framework, so that engagements can begin efficiently when a relevant need is identified. When a specific project or capacity gap emerges, RSB will contact roster members whose profile best matches the assignment, share a defined scope of work, and invite them to submit a proposal.

Inclusion on the roster is an expression of readiness and fit and not a guarantee of immediate work or remuneration.

The Services

The Sustainable Bio-Materials & Regulatory Compliance Consultant will provide regulatory compliance and sustainability assessment expertise for bio-based materials, sustainable fuels, feedstocks and related value chains. Consultants in this profile support RSB Advisory Services with the expert practical interpretation of regulatory frameworks, such as EU RED, CORSIA and relevant voluntary certification requirements, including their GHG calculation methodologies. They support feedstock eligibility, low-ILUC considerations, sustainability-risk screening, voluntary scheme benchmarking and compliance gap identification.

Role purpose: To provide RSB with flexible, project-based technical capacity for assessing whether bio-based materials, fuels, feedstocks and supply chains meet applicable regulatory and voluntary sustainability requirements. The role helps RSB and its clients translate complex rules into defensible assessments, calculations and compliance pathways, particularly where GHG data quality, feedstock eligibility, certification readiness or regulatory interpretation are central to the assignment.

Full or partial coverage: Applicants are eligible whether they wish to cover the full scope or only a clearly defined subset of the technical areas and task requirements described below (partial coverage), based on their knowledge, skills and capabilities. Partial coverage applicants are encouraged to submit their candidacy as well.

Confidentiality: Due to non-disclosure and confidentiality commitments within RSB Advisory Services, specific project-related work cannot be attached to or disclosed in this call.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to narrowing and confirming the scope, system boundaries and methodological approach for assessments under EU RED, CORSIA, RSB or other relevant regulatory and voluntary sustainability frameworks.
• Review third-party-supplied GHG inventory data, apply consistency and plausibility checks, validate assumptions, clean data, identify missing or unreliable data, and propose defensible proxies or literature-based values where appropriate.
• Support or perform GHG calculations and carbon-intensity assessments using relevant or pre-defined methodologies and tools, including the RSB GHG Calculator where applicable.
• Prepare clear GHG, LCA or sustainability assessment reports using agreed templates, including methodology, assumptions, data-quality notes, result presentation and interpretation.
• Provide support for the technical understanding of sustainable bio-material pathways and low-ILUC risk considerations under EU RED, CORSIA, RSB or equivalent requirements.
• Support regulatory and voluntary-scheme gap analyses by participating in the documentation of benchmarking requirements, identifying, verifying or validating compliance risks, and reviewing third-party organisational documentation against criteria (met, not met or not applicable).
• Review certification-readiness documentation under RSB guidance, including evidence related to feedstock origin, traceability, chain of custody, sustainability criteria and GHG claims.
• Support the interpretation of policy or regulatory requirements for specific feedstocks, technologies, products or markets by providing supporting data and literature reviews, and translate findings into practical compliance options in line with the applicable standard requirements.
• Support the development or refinement of methodologies, blueprints and decision tools for innovative sustainability assessments involving bio-based materials, fuels, chemicals or emerging feedstock pathways.

Requirements

Essential (all applicants, firms and individuals, must meet these criteria):

• Strong written and spoken English proficiency.
• Ability to maintain regular availability overlapping with CET working hours of a minimum of 4 hours per day.
• Proven output/delivery track record in your area of expertise.
• Full compliance with all applicable local laws and regulations, including tax and social security obligations, and legal authorisation to perform consultancy services in the country of residence or operation.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills, the ability to operate autonomously, and a proactive approach to communicating progress, risks, and opportunities in a clear and constructive manner.
• Self-sufficiency in a remote and fully digital working environment with reliable internet connectivity. Video calls and collaborative tools will be used for coordination.

Specific to this profile:

• Proven hands-on experience applying EU RED, CORSIA, RSB or equivalent GHG and sustainability methodologies in client, certification, policy or project-development contexts.
• Working knowledge of at least one major voluntary sustainability certification scheme, preferably RSB, ISCC or another scheme relevant to biofuels, SAF, biomass or bio-based materials.
• Demonstrated ability to assess feedstock eligibility, GHG data quality, certification readiness or regulatory compliance for specific products, pathways or supply chains.
• Ability to work independently with limited onboarding, document assumptions transparently and flag uncertainty, data gaps and compliance risks.
• Strong written English and effective reporting skills for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong communication skills and comfort working with client-provided data under confidentiality constraints.
• CET ±5 hours time-zone compatibility, unless otherwise agreed for a specific assignment.

For firms / agencies:

• Ability to assign appropriately qualified personnel to assignments and to ensure continuity of delivery, including cover for absences.
• Confirmation that the named individuals proposed for RSB assignments meet the essential criteria above.

Desirable (will strengthen your Expression of Interest):

• Working knowledge of the RSB standard and certification system in particular, or of ISCC.
• Hands-on experience using the RSB GHG Calculator.
• Experience developing or refining methodologies, blueprints or decision tools for emerging feedstock pathways, bio-based materials, fuels or chemicals.

Indicative Outputs (may include but are not limited to):

Specific deliverables, estimated time input, and project duration will be clarified in the Terms of Reference (TOR) issued to shortlisted roster members when a project need is identified.

• Scoping notes defining system boundaries and the methodological approach for an assessment
• GHG data review and validation notes (plausibility checks, data gaps, proposed proxies or literature values)
• GHG calculations and carbon-intensity assessments (including RSB GHG Calculator outputs)
• GHG, LCA or sustainability assessment reports based on agreed templates
• Feedstock eligibility and low-ILUC risk assessments
• Regulatory and voluntary-scheme benchmarking and gap analyses
• Certification-readiness reviews and evidence/documentation checks
• Policy and regulatory interpretation notes and literature reviews with practical compliance options

Methodologies, blueprints and decision tools for innovative sustainability assessments

Benefits

Working with RSB offers the opportunity to contribute to a globally recognised organisation at the forefront of sustainability and systems transformation.

• Meaningful, mission-driven work: Contribute to advancing sustainability standards and real-world impact across global value chains, influencing how industries operate and evolve.
• Flexible, high-impact assignments: Participate in intellectually engaging, project-based work that allows you to apply your expertise to real-world challenges.
• Opportunity for ongoing collaboration: Consultants on the roster may be engaged on multiple assignments, fostering longer-term professional relationships with RSB.

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Submission deadline: 24 October 2026

Type of Engagement: Project-based (as required) with an overarching Framework Agreement

Preferred Provider Type: Independent consultants and individuals, firms, agencies, and established organisations.

Remuneration: Agreed day rate

Location: Remote

Framework Agreement Duration: Until September 2028 [2 years], unless a Consultant or RSB request removal or changes to Framework Agreement.

Working Hours / Time Zone: CET ±4 hours time-zone compatibility, unless otherwise agreed for a specific assignment (minimum 4 hours per day overlapping with CET working hours).

Roster Launch: November 2026

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Diversity & Inclusion

RSB is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion across all its work. We strongly encourage expressions of interest from individuals and firms representing underrepresented groups, including, but not limited to, women, persons from the Global South, persons with disabilities, and members of other historically marginalised communities. We believe that diverse perspectives strengthen the quality and relevance of our work.

Conflict of Interest

Applicants must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest at the time of expression of interest and throughout the engagement. A conflict of interest exists where the Consultant has personal, professional, or financial relationships that could impair objectivity or create unfair advantage.

Anti-Corruption & Integrity

RSB operates a zero-tolerance policy with respect to fraud, bribery, corruption, and any other form of misconduct. All Consultants are expected to adhere to the highest ethical standards and to comply with applicable anti-corruption laws. Any breach may result in immediate termination and referral to relevant authorities.

How to Submit Your Expression of Interest

To be considered for inclusion on the RSB External Consultant Roster, Consultants should submit the following:

• Please fill out the complete questionnaire within this call for expression of interest
• A company capability statement (for firms/agencies) or a current curriculum vitae (for individuals), including a description of experience in similar assignments.

Later in the submission process. RSB will request further information to confirm shortlisted Consultants as trusted providers as part of our due diligence process:

• Firms / organisations (and their employees): Tax identification and proof of registration
• Self-employed individuals: Proof of independent status by registration with the relevant tax authority in the country of tax residence.

Several consultant types are listed separately on our website. You are welcome to submit expressionf of interest to multiple listings if you meet the respective requirements.

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