The BioReCer ICT Tool (BIT) – Manual

BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 1 Welcome to the BioReCer ICT Tool (BIT) This manual will guide you through the functionalities of the BIT and answer key-questions to help you make the most of bio-based feedstocks and solutions. It supports you by • Visualising the supply chain, • Enabling digital tracking of feedstock and derived products throughout the lifecycle, • Mapping of bio-based standards and certificates, and • Identification of companies with the best industry scores. • Efficient self-assessment. Through all these features, the BIT aims to enhance the environmental performance, traceability, and social acceptance of biobased products. It addresses feedstock producers, stakeholders from the bio-industry and certifiers. The tool is tailored to the framework of the BioReCer project. What is BioReCer? The EU-funded project BioReCer (Biological Resources Certifications Schemes) aims to strengthen the EU-bioeconomy by providing actionable guidelines for the certification of bio-based feedstock (biogenic waste, residues and by-products). A key element of the project is to enhance tracking and traceability of these feedstocks and define new circularity indicators. Implementing these elements in the BioReCer ICT Tool forms the technical pillar of the BioReCer project. The Problem Feedstock providers and users of biomass face the challenge of optimising processes, ensuring sustainability, and complying with regulations in the bio-based sector. One key quest is the increasing pressure for environmental performance and traceability of feedstock from its origin through the value-chain. Here, especially bio-based value chains struggle with the complexity of supply chains and data management. This is where BioReCer steps in and helps bio-based businesses, certification bodies and feedstock providers to make informed decisions that can drive sustainability and circularity. What is the BioReCer ICT Tool? The BioReCer ICT Tool is the solution to this challenge. This digital platform is designed to help industry stakeholders make informed decisions, find mapped bio-based standards and certificates, and improve sustainability. It also helps identify the most sustainable players in a regional sector. What it does: • Gathers data, tools and insights in one place. • Helps optimise processes, ensures sustainability and circularity, and compliance with regulatory standards. • Informs on mapped standards and certificates and identifies companies with the best industry scores. • Provides a competitive advantage in the bio-based industry. BIT Manual BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 2 BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu Key Benefits for Industry Stakeholders What’s in for YOU? • Improved Decision-Making: Access to real-time data and actionable insights. • Enhanced Sustainability: Tools to assess and improve environmental performance. • Simplified Compliance: Streamlined processes for meeting regulatory requirements. • Increased Efficiency: Optimised operations through data-driven insights. • Transparency and Traceability: Track and trace biomass resources and bio-based products through the supply chain. • Self-Assessment: Information on whether a company is fit for certification and what levers exist to achieve a higher certification. What is in it for Certification Bodies? • Streamlined auditing: Access to data in one place and allows faster pre-audit assessments which saves resources and reduces the time and effort for verification. • Enhances credibility: The real-time data validation helps in enhancing credibility of the certification outcomes. • Facilitates communication: Industries can signal certification interest and audit needs in the platform which allows certification bodies to offer tailored services. • Informed readiness of the company: Access to the scores obtained by the self-assessment by industries via BIT advisor helps certification bodies to understand their readiness for meeting BioReCer requirements. • Ease the audit process for certification. • Facilitate communication between companies and certification bodies by identifying company needs. Navigating the BIT Platform Getting started with the BIT: A Walkthrough 1. Landing-Page Go to https://biorecer-ict-staging.stellio.io The BIT landing page is your starting point. You can log in if you already have an account or register as a new user. The BIT works seamlessly across desktop and mobile devices, yet it is optimised for mobile use. 2. Logging in and user roles To register, provide your email, password, first and last name, and choose your profile type. Are you a biomass producer, a stakeholder from the bio-industry, a certifier or other? Please select your profile accordingly. This selection filters the content and options available to your account. You can always switch your profile type if needed. BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 3 BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 3. Overview of the main sections Upon login, the BIT app shows the main navigation bar with access to Products, BIT Advisor, and Certifications modules. • Products: View feedstock passport info and emissions data. • BIT Advisor: A self-assessment tool for certification readiness. • Certifications: View sector scores, schemes, and standards. Add your company details: name, sector, role, and location. 4. Products The BIT offers the option to retrieve data on feedstock, see processes, input and output of products, storage locations, CO₂-emissions during transport, circularity indicators, and more. BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 4 BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 5. BIT Advisor Here you can inform yourself on primary and advanced requirements for certification of your company. Simply answer questions on social, economic and environmental aspects and get you score. You will also receive recommendations on what improvements are needed for certification. BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 5 BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 6. Certifications Here, you get information on companies’ scores, certification schemes and standards. You can select the latter by chosing area and keywords. BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 6 BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu Data Input and Management Feeding the BIT: How to add and manage data Access the BIT Admin interface from the user menu: Create a new Biorecer use case (or select an existing one): BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 7 BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu Go to use case definition: BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 8 BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu Fill the product name, select product type, and specify the last known storage location (important so the product can appear on the map search. At least one product is required to proceed. To start provisioning, add your first Product as a digital twin with detailed attributes: BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 9 BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu Click on “Partial Submit” to indicate that we will have to come back later to update this Production System after we’ll create the related Transformation: Link your Product to a Production System. Specify the production system details and location. This helps track where your product is processed or stored: BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 16 BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu We select the input product, specify the energy requirements, then select the output product: BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 17 BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu Add the Travel we’ve created before: Time to go back and edit the Transporter: BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 18 BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu And now go back and edit the Production system to add the Transformation: BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 19 BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu Don’t forget to add the “Last known storage location” information on your products so they can be localized later on the BIT map module: Now don’t forget to synchronize all your data with the database: BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 20 BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu That’s it! Now you can go back to the BIT app (https://biorecer-ict-staging.stellio.io/auth/search) and check if your products data are correctly showing on the map. In the product passport you can see the CO2 emissions generated, the calculated circularity indicators (if all required information is present), etc. Even after finishing, you can still update and manage your data though the admin interface https://twinpicks-biorecer.stellio.io/en BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 21 BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu Security and Confidentiality of Data Stellio, as the NGSI-LD context broker powering the BioReCer platform, enforces strict and flexible permissions to ensure data privacy and secure sharing of user data. Here’s how permissions work: • By default, users can only view and manage the entities they have created. Other users cannot access your data unless you explicitly grant permission, protecting sensitive business or personal information by default. • The platform provides fine-grained permissions at the entity level. You can select specific entities and assign one of three authorization levels: - READ: The user or group can view entity information only. - WRITE: The user or group can edit/update entity data. - ADMIN: Full rights; the user or group has the same abilities as the entity owner, including deleting or further sharing. • ●Entities can be shared with specific groups with chosen permissions. There is also an option for a global access policy—making an entity “public.” If selected, any authenticated user on the platform can access the entity, but this must be done intentionally via the permissions interface. Use the Rights Management module in the BIT administration interface to manage permissions – choose who can see, modify, or administer each entity. See below: BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu 22 BioReCer Biological Resources Certifications Schemes | biorecer.eu BIT Advisor for Decision Support The BIT Advisor is helping you to make smarter and more informed decisions. This section will explain how you as a stakeholder can use the BIT Advisor to gain insights and useful recommendations. 1. Product and Industry Scoring: This questionnaire will assess your sustainability. 2. Compliance Scores: Interpreting these scores can identify areas for improvement. 3. Carbon Footprint Analysis: Evaluating and reducing emissions. 4. Strategic Recommendations: Implementing the recommendations to enhance sustainability and circularity of your products. Troubleshooting and Support Needing help? We hope this section can solve some of your issues. Tips if Circularity Indicators are not Calculated If you cannot see the Circularity Indicators for your product, please check the following points carefully: • Verify your data: Make sure that all required information has been entered correctly. • Complete all entities: Each product must be linked to a Transformation, Production System, and Corporation. • Check the Corporation role: Ensure that the Corporation connected to your Production System has the correct role (e.g., Primary Producer, Processor, Manufacturer, or Waste Producer). • Answer all mandatory questions: Even if a question is not marked with a red asterisk, if it is relevant to your product type, you must provide an answer. • Update the Product last: After making changes to any entity, always return to the Product and click “Update”. Even if no changes are made directly in the Product, this update is essential because it triggers the CI calculation across the entire chain. By following these steps, most calculation errors can be resolved. FAQ. How can I remove or correct entered data? From the Admin interface, any data can be removed or updated from the same module where the data was first uploaded: click on “Use case definition” in the side left menu to visualize your use case’s data. Then each entity can then be updated or removed using the small ‘pen’ or ‘bin’ buttons. Can I delete my profile? Of course. From the Admin interface, go to your profile by clicking on the user menu (bottom left corner), then click on “My account”. You will be redirected to the authentication console interface. From here click on “Personal info” then you will find the “Delete account” button down below the page. Contact information for technical support Experiencing technical issues? We are happy to help. Here are some links to online resources and documentation. [email protected]