Effinature: Independent certification for use in regulated communications

The regulatory framework requires verifiable proof

The AMF (Autorité des Marchés Financiers) has stepped up its expectations regarding environmental claims in investor communications.

Any player claiming sustainability for an asset must be able to demonstrate its justify reality with verifiable elements.

Unregulated, unaudited or self-declared labels may not meet the levels of proof expected in regulatory standards.

📌 A simple declaration of intent is no longer enough: traceability by an independent third party becomes an implicit requirement.

A basic principle: proof by a third-party body accredited for certification activities

In its applicable doctrine (AMF positions 2020 & following), the AMF recommends that :

Non-financial information is backed up by measurable data,
The evidence is produced by an independent third-party organization,
The organization is recognized within a national or international certification framework.

➡️ IRICEan organization accredited by the Cofrac (Accreditation for the certification of products, processes and services, no. 5-0655, scope available on www.cofrac.fr), meets the three required criteria: independence, traceability, opposability.

Effinature certification = traceability and conformity under accreditation

Using certification Effinature in the financial communication of a fund or promoter :

Allows certified biodiversity commitments to be objectified,
Reduces the risk of unverifiable claims being challenged,
Aligns with the documented expectations of the AMF, the European green taxonomy and the SFDR regulation.

📌 In the event of an inspection, certification provides an independent, documented and enforceable assessment framework, issued by an accredited body in accordance with ISO/IEC 17065 (IRICE). Accreditation for certification of products, processes and services, no. 5-0655, scope available at www.cofrac.fr).

Risks associated with non-accredited labels

Visit non-accredited or self-declared labels do not offer the same guarantees of traceability, independence or of opposability certification issued under accreditation. They may be more difficult to use in official reporting systems, particularly in an institutional or regulatory context.

💬 That's why more and more investment funds are favoring certifications issued by ISO/IEC 17065-accredited bodies, to make ESG commitments more reliable.

A confidence-building tool for stakeholders

By choosing IRICE - organization accredited by the Cofrac (Accreditation for the certification of products, processes and services, no. 5-0655, scope available on www.cofrac.fr) - and certification Effinatureproject owners and investors can :

Rely on an independent, enforceable and documented assessment of their biodiversity commitments,
Structure their extra-financial strategy on the basis of an ISO/IEC 17065-certified database,
Meet the explicit expectations of public-sector clients and ESG standards,
Position their assets in terms of traceability and environmental compliance.

Accreditation leading to international recognition under Cofrac certification agreements

Thanks to accreditation Cofrac (Accreditation for the certification of products, processes and services, no. 5-0655, available on www.cofrac.fr), certifications issued by IRICE are part of the multilateral recognition agreements signed by the Cofrac (EA, IAF), for product, process and service certification.

They can therefore be used in strategies or projects subject to European or international requirements, provided they are compatible with the applicable standards.