” The current state of the world’s environment is characterized by a significant crisis that is having direct and indirect impacts on both the planet and human life. One of the root causes of this crisis is the persistent pollution that arises from the production of everyday consumer products. This pollution is often anthropogenic in nature, resulting from human activities such as the use of fertilizers and pesticides, as well as plastic waste that is causing significant harm to land and waterways. In addition to these environmental concerns, issues such as social injustice, the violation of workers’ rights, the collapse of small economies, and threats to food security are all linked to unsustainable production practices.
I am pleased to introduce the STAR4BBS project, a crucial initiative that aims at curbing pollution, promoting a just society and creating a more equitable world! Our consortium is composed of experts from different disciplines from across Europe with expertise in areas such as bioeconomy, sustainable production, social and environmental sustainability, and certification and labeling schemes. As the project coordinator, I am excited to share with you the goals and objectives of this project.
The STAR4BBS project supports the transition towards a sustainable circular bio-based economy by harmonizing sustainability certification schemes and labels for bio-based products. By applying comprehensive sustainability assessment methodologies, the project seeks to develop a comprehensive set of indicators and a new monitoring tool for assessing the effectiveness and robustness of existing international and EU sustainability certification schemes and B2B labels applicable to biological feedstock and bio-based products. Ultimately, the goal is to make recommendations for a more efficient and harmonized framework for the sustainability assessment of bio-based products along the entire value chain.
It will not be an easy task, but we are ready for the challenge. We believe that every small step counts and together we can make a difference. Join us on this exciting journey towards our common goal of safeguarding our planet’s well-being and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come. “
Luana Ladu is the coordinator of the STAR4BBS project. She is a senior research Fellow at the Chair of Innovation Economics of the Technische Universität Berlin (TUB) and the Department of Digitalization of Quality Infrastructure at the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM). She conducts research in the field of innovation economics and sustainability focusing on standardization, conformity assessment, and regulation. She is involved in the implementation of different horizon projects aimed at facilitating the transition to a sustainable bio-based circular economy. Before joining TUB and BAM, she worked in the field of international development with a focus on education & labour market reforms, digitalization, and ICT for development. She holds a PhD in Economics from the Technische Universität Berlin (Germany), an M. Sc. in Economics from UFBA (Brazil) and a Degree in Law and Business Administration (Master equivalent) from Bocconi University (Italy).
