Abengoa periodically verifies compliance with all legal requirements and any other types of regulations established on the basis of international standards and internal corporate applications related to its products and services. In the event of non-compliance of any sort, such incidents are registered in the corporate Troubleshooting Report (TSR) and Improvement Action (IA) applications for subsequent control and monitoring.
These requirements include all of those pertaining to product and service information and labeling, which may vary depending on the nature of the products and services and where they are produced.
For example, technological equipment and systems issued by Abengoa in the European Union require the EC Declaration of Conformity and the EC Seal.
As far as labeling of biofuel production-related products is concerned, there are three different products involved:
- Bioethanol: The European product is accompanied by information on safety and quality features, as well as information pertaining to product and feedstock sustainability.
Also included are the corresponding safety and security form and waybill. The container is identified in compliance with ADR (European agreement pertaining to highway transportation of hazardous goods) or according to RID specifications in the case of railway transport.
Each batch of bioethanol is accompanied by a statement on sustainability, specifying feedstock origin, corresponding greenhouse gas emission savings, and the traceability systems employed from feedstock to bioethanol, among other aspects.
- DDGS: Bioethanol-produced DDGS (dried distillers grains with solubles) shipped bulk, along with documentation that includes data on the shipper and marketing company, authorized producer’s registry number, technical product name, GMO (genetically modified organism) statement, protein, fat, fiber and moisture content percentage, and batch traceability. Information is also included on guaranteed quality systems employed in productive processes to yield the product.
- Sugar: Produced at bioethanol plants in Brazil, and accompanied by the laboratory analysis demonstrating compliance with contracted specifications (polarization, color, moisture and ashes) and an invoice showing volume and consignment value.
The total volume of sales from these products with respect to Abengoa’s overall total is 11 %.
There were no reports over the year of any cases of non-compliance involving product labeling through the Abengoa information channels..