RSB Membership Guide
Contents
I. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 3
II. How RSB Works ......................................................................................................................................... 4
II. Why Become an RSB Member? ................................................................................................................ 5
III. How to Join?............................................................................................................................................. 6
IV. Application Form for RSB Membership ................................................................................................... 8
V. Cover Letter Template ............................................................................................................................ 10
© 2015, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB)
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I. Introduction
RSB could not exist without its members. Over 100 diverse organizations have come together to create
the RSB. What was a vision to ensure biofuel sustainability has grown into a global sustainability
certification for all biomaterials.
Today, members promote RSB’s sustainability certification, and approve revisions to the standard and
certification system as technology, the environment and society are constantly changing.
This document provides an introduction to the benefits and rights of RSB membership as well as how to
apply.
As a member of RSB since the beginning in 2007, I can attest to the value that
your RSB membership will bring you personally and to your organization or
business. RSB membership is a commitment, not just financially, but
emotionally and mentally as well. When you participate in the member
teleconference calls or meetings held around the world, you realize you are part
of something very important - a movement of diverse people all working
towards the same vision that biomaterials are produced sustainable, that
smallholders have a chance, and that we leave our world a better place for
future generations.
I hope you join me and become a part of our impactful movement!
Barbara Bramble
Board Chair of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials
© 2015, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB)
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II. How RSB Works
RSB is owned and run by its members. They come together at least once a year at the General Assembly
of Delegates to approve changes to the standards, appoint the Board of Directors, review the accounts
and make any adjustments to the rules and legal status of the organisation.
To ensure a balance between business and civil society interests the RSB members are organised into
seven chambers which represent different sectors. Chambers elect delegates to represent their views at
meetings of the General Assembly of Delegates. Each Chamber also nominates one of its members to the
Board of Directors. The Board sets strategy and oversees the management of the Secretariat which runs
the day-to-day business of the organisation. A full list of current Delegates and Directors is available on
the RSB website: www.rsb.org
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II. Why Become an RSB Member?
As an RSB member, you are part of a worldwide movement of NGOs, government, businesses, academia
and UN organisations that make sustainability a priority. You can help lead the way to ensure the
sustainable production of biofuels and biomaterials that promote food security, rural development and
reduction in greenhouse gases while protecting human rights and the environment.
By becoming an RSB member, you will:
1. Demonstrate your commitment to sustainability – Whether your
shareholders are buyers, consumers, or your employees, you
can use your RSB involvement to strengthen your social
responsibility message. You can also demonstrate that you
are committed to ensuring that the biomass industry moves
on a sustainable path.
“SGB is proud to become a member
of the RSB and is committed to
ensuring that our bioenergy
projects meet the organization’s
rigorous
standards
for
environmental
and
social
sustainability
through
RSB
certification.”
2. Shape the future of sustainable biomaterials - In the everchanging world of sustainability issues surrounding
biomaterials, let your views be heard, profile your work, and
ensure that it is integrated into the world’s foremost sustainability
standard. Join cutting-edge discussions and engage in dialogue on
the sustainability of biomaterials that contribute to building on the world’s
most credible sustainability standard in this field.
– SG Biofuels, RSB Member
3. Expand your network - Have the opportunity to meet others committed to sustainability issues and
keep in touch with the latest developments in industry, civil society and government. RSB members
have found common areas of interest and forged partnerships on policy, smallholders and technical
issues such as lifecycle analysis.
4. Become eligible for a 20% discount on your licensing fees for certification.
In short, your RSB membership is a way to demonstrate your commitment to economically,
environmentally and socially sustainable biomaterials and support sustainable supply chains around the
world.
Associate Membership Option
Associate Membership is an option for organizations that might have restrictions on becoming full voting
members of another entity. Associate Members can participate fully in discussions on the development
of the RSB standards, but unlike Full Members, they are not part of the governance of the organization.
Therefore they are not eligible for leadership positions and do not vote.
Assembly of Delegates Meeting September
2014 in Brazil, Photo Credit: IISD
© 2015, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB)
Southeast Asia Workshop, December 2013 in Kuala Lumpur, Photo Credit: RSB
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III. How to Join?
To become an RSB member there are a few simple steps.
1. Complete the Application Form on pages 7-8 of this guide.
2. Write a Cover Letter. You may use the template included in this guide on page 9, or create your own
as long as it includes:

A brief description of your organization’s biofuel/biomaterial-related activities.

An acknowledgement that your organization accepts the RSB’s Articles of Association and other
official RSB documents and decisions (in other words the RSB standard and decisions of the RSB
governing bodies).

A declaration of any conflict of interests you are aware of, or statement that none exist.

And, if you are applying for a fee waiver, your organization’s most recent financial statements.
Applications must be reviewed and accepted by the RSB Board of Directors. This process can take up to 3
weeks from date of receipt. We accept applications on a rolling basis, and we look forward to welcoming
you!
Questions?
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Should you have any questions regarding membership, your application, etc., please feel free to contact
Andrina Beaumond at andrina.beaumond@rsb.org or +41 22 796 40 37.
Participants at the RSB Southeast Asia Smallholder Workshop, December 2013 in Kuala Lumpur, Photo Credit: RSB
© 2015, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB)
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IV. Application Form for RSB Membership
ROUNDTABLE ON SUSTAINABLE BIOMATERIALS
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM
Organization:
Website:
Main contact name:
Mailing Address:
Phone Number:
Email:
Role of this person in the organization, expertise:
Secondary contact in case of unavailability of primary
contact at your organization
Billing Contact:
Billing Address (if different from above):
Is the organization a holding company or subsidiary of
another company? If yes, please specify the name and
address, and if the other entity is also a member of the
RSB.
Membership Chambers
Please select one of the following seven chambers which you would like to join. While your organization
might fall into more than one category, please choose the chamber that best describes your
organization’s activities.







Biomass producers (e.g. farmers, plantation managers and other feedstock growers)
Industrial biomaterial/bioenergy producers
Retailers/blenders, Transportation industry, users of biomaterials and Banks/investors
Rights-based NGOs (including land, water, human, and labor rights) and Trade unions
Rural development, food security, smallholder farmers, indigenous people, and communitybased civil society organizations
Environment or conservation organizations and Climate change or policy organizations
Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), governments, research/academic institutions,
standard-setters, specialist advisory agencies, certification agencies, and consultant
organisations, as well as any other applicants for membership who do not fulfil the
characteristics of any other Chamber
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Membership Fee
Members pay a fee each year which represents an important part of RSB’s income and allow for the
healthy functioning of the organization. The fee structure below is based on the economic size of the
organization and is intended to allow the inclusion of a diverse range of participants.
Please indicate which fee category your company falls into by circling it or marking it in the table
below.
Public sector and not-for-profit organizations:
Size Description
Annual Operating Budget
Small
<15 million
Membership Fee
(USD)
250
Medium
15-30 million
500
Large
30-150 million
1000
Very Large
>150 million
2000
All other organizations:
Size Description
Revenue
Small
<40 million
Membership Fee
(USD)*
1000
Medium
40-200 million
2000
Large
200 million - 2 billion
5000
Very Large
>2 billion
10,000
*Companies that are RSB certified are automatically granted RSB Associate Member status free of cost.
Once your application is approved, we will send you an invoice for your fees which may be paid via credit
card or wire transfer.
Fee Waivers
In exceptional circumstances where your organization is unable to pay the required amount, a fee
waiver request may be submitted to the Board of Directors for their consideration. If applying for a
membership fee waiver, please include a request in the cover letter (see section III above) and explain
why your organization requires such a waiver. Please include a link to your organization’s most recent
financial statement.
Thank you for your support of RSB and for helping to ensure the sustainability of biofuels and
biomaterials!
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V. Cover Letter Template
Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials
Attn: Board of Directors
9 Chemin de Balexert, 1219 Chatelaine
Switzerland
[Place and Date]
Dear RSB Board of Directors,
We are pleased to hereby submit our application for RSB Membership.
Our organization … [PLEASE ADD A SHORT DESCRIPTION OF YOUR ACTIVITIES RELATED TO BIOMASS
AND BIOMATERIALS].
We unconditionally accept the RSB Articles of Association, as well as any and all other documents
decided, approved, adopted, enacted and implemented by the RSB.
We declare that, to the best of our knowledge, there is currently no conflict of interest between our
activities and our participation in the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials. [IF THIS IS NOT THE CASE,
PLEASE DESCRIBE WHERE YOU MAY POTENTIALLY HAVE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST]
Please find attached to this letter our latest financial report/Annual Report/other. [THIS IS ONLY
APPLICABLE FOR ORGANISATIONS APPLYING FOR A FEE WAIVER].
Thank you for considering our application.
[SIGNATURE – DIGITAL or SCANNED]
© 2015, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB)
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Countries with RSB Members
As of 8 October 2015, RSB has 91 full members and 18 associate
members in 33 countries around the world.
Visit www.rsb.org for the most current member list.
Thank you to all our members, board, chamber chairs and others who support us
financially as well as with their time and efforts on furthering RSB
projects around the world.
RSB’s success is a tribute to our
diverse coalition of members that include farmers, companies and
businesses, non-governmental
organizations, experts and academics, governments, inter-
governmental agencies and many other groups from around the
© 2015, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB)
world.
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Jatropha intercropped with pineapple in northeastern Guatemala, Photo Credit : Matt Rudolf, RSB
About the RSB
The Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) is a global movement to ensure the sustainability of
biomaterials production through a comprehensive certification system. The RSB brings together a
diverse coalition of over 100 organizations around the world including large and small farmers, NGOs,
companies, experts, governments, and UN agencies. RSB certification provides user-friendly tools for
industry to demonstrate compliance and validates sustainable production including greenhouse gas
emission reductions, respect for human rights, protection of biodiversity and water and maintenance
of food security. RSB is a full member of the ISEAL Alliance and has been rated the best performing
sustainability certification system in recent reports published by WWF, IUCN, and NRDC.
Copyright Notice
© Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials, 2015
Contact Us
If you have comments or questions regarding membership or this membership kit, please feel free to
contact us. We appreciate your feedback as well as suggestions for improvement.
Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB)
International Environment House 2
7-9 Chemin de Balexert
CH-1219 | Chatelaine (Geneva) | Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 796 40 37
Email: info@rsb.org
www.rsb.org
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