FREQUENTLY ASKED QUeSTIONS
Discover all you need to know about the Hub of Verified Solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the verification stamp represent?
The verification stamp is the result of a comparative, scientific-based Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) assessed for the candidate product, indicating that the product has an improved environmental performance than the Business As Usual (BAU).
The issued stamp can be utilised for promotional material of the verified product, and Water Revolution Foundation will provide communication guidelines to ensure its proper use.
Who can apply for the verification process?
All suppliers for the superyacht industry are encouraged to get involved. Producers, manufacturers, importers, service providers, and wholesalers placing their products and/or services on the international market can apply for verification after becoming a partner of Water Revolution Foundation.
What is the cost?
The cost of the verification procedure is €10,000 at cost-price, covering the value of the LCA report and the work undertaken by Water Revolution Foundation and the independent research institutes to assess the solution.
This amount is waived for companies who become a Foundation partner. If a company wishes to verify more than one product, this requires a further conversation to establish the additional cost based on the products to be studied.
Who will carry out the analysis?
In our effort to reduce the gap between the scientific community and the yachting industry, we have developed a strategic partnership with several independent, specialised university research groups who are experts in the implementation of the Life Cycle Assessment methodology, namely: Tetis Institute SRL (University of Genoa, Italy) and Alea Design (Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia).
One institute will conduct the LCA assessment and the other will engage in a thorough peer review of the results. To avoid any conflict of interest and maintain their anonymity, the research group will not work directly with the company.
How do you handle confidential data and IP?
To uphold the integrity of the assessment, all data will be treated as confidential in accordance with a confidentiality and intellectual property (IP) agreement signed between Water Revolution Foundation and the company applying for verification. This includes a chapter on the management of sensitive data and IP breachings. In addition to this, we are always willing to sign additional NDAs provided by the company itself.
The research groups we work with have also signed an NDA as part of the Memorandum of Understanding.
What are the steps of the verification procedure?
The verification process follows a five step-approach:
- Submit solution: Suppliers are invited to submit their solution for inclusion in the Hub by indicating their interest to solutions@waterrevolutionfoundation.org after becoming a corporate partner if not already.
- Define scope: The scope of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) will be defined with the Foundation experts based on the specific details of the product type.
- Collect data: Based on the defined scope, we’ll provide data collection sheets required for the independent research institutes to holistically assess the product.
- Conduct assessment: Using the LCA methodology and a peer review, the research institutes will determine whether the solution demonstrates an improved environmental footprint.
- Receive verification outcome: A detailed report of the product’s environmental performance will be provided and, if verified, solutions will be added to our Hub and shared with industry stakeholders.
- Review & optimise: Verified solutions will undergo continual review to innovate and optimise, ensuring the products maintain an improved environmental performance compared to the defined Business-As-Usual.
What is the time needed to complete the verification procedure?
Once a company has submitted its solution, the definition of the scope will take one week, followed by a one to four month process for conducting the LCA, declaring whether the solution has been granted verification, and providing feedback for further improvements.
This timeframe will heavily depend on the company’s provision and gathering of data.
How do you verify the sustainability of a product?
For each product tested, two different research groups will be involved. The first group will conduct a comparative LCA between the candidate solution and the Business as Usual (BAU) product. The performed study will then be shared with the second research group to carry out a peer-review confirming the correctness and quality of the study.
This is a comparative LCA analysis that follows the ISO governing LCA methodology (ISO 14040-44 ). The results are represented considering ten environmental indicators. If there is a mitigation of damage in at least six indicators, the solution is verified as more sustainable than the BAU product.
What is the Business As Usual and how do you determine its definition for my product?
The Business as Usual (BAU) represents the most widely used product and/or service on the market within the product category at the time of the verification process, serving as a benchmark to compare the proposed solution.
The definition of BAU depends on the product and/or service and its function within the marine industry. Many parameters are considered to define the specific BAU, of which the Functional Unit (FU) is the most important. The BAU must have the same function and units as the studied solution, as all input and output data collected in the analysis are scaled to the FU.
What will the company receive as feedback?
The complete LCA study performed by Water Revolution Foundation and the supporting third-party research institutes will be issued to the product-owner company. To maintain transparency of the verification process, we highlight the indicators responsible for whether or not our verification criteria are met.
The information contained in the report can be used to optimise and improve the environmental performance of the candidate solution, and also plays a large role for the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) obligations.
What will be published once my solution is verified?
Once verified, your solution will be uploaded to our Hub of Verified Solutions with a general description of the product and assessment results. No information regarding the assessment results will be released to the public without your permission.
What will be published if my solution does not make it through the verification process?
If the proposed solution does not meet the criteria of our verification process, it will not be published on the Hub. Nevertheless, you will still receive the LCA report and we encourage you to re-apply for assessment when sufficient improvements are integrated.
Can I submit an EPD or LCA conducted by another research institute as proof?
Yes, we accept EPDs and LCAs that are externally conducted by accredited research institutes and with sufficient information providing evidence of the improved environmental performance of the product.