Who designs the Effinature standard?

The Effinature standard is designed by NORMATYS, which develops, adopts, updates and publishes it; the Biodiversity Standard Council, the scheme committee run by IRICE on behalf of NORMATYS, approves its versions. Effinature certification is delivered by IRICE, certification body (Cofrac accreditation No. 5-0655 · Certification of products, processes and services · ISO/IEC 17065 · Scope available on www.cofrac.fr). NORMATYS and IRICE are 2 separate companies: NORMATYS takes no part in the certification process.

NORMATYS is the designer of the Effinature and BPS standards, and of the CBCA standard, in preparation: it designs, develops, adopts, updates and publishes them. NORMATYS carries out no certification, audit or conformity assessment activity: those operations are carried out by IRICE, a separate certification body.

Who holds the Effinature, BPS and Efficarbone trademarks?

The trademarks are held by NORMAXIS. The standards are designed by NORMATYS. Certification is delivered by IRICE. These 3 functions sit with distinct entities, and that split is public.

Are the owner of the standard and the third party that checks compliance separate, as Directive (EU) 2024/825 requires?

Yes. The directive requires compliance to be checked by a third party independent of both the scheme owner and the trader. NORMATYS designs the standard; IRICE, a separate company, assesses and decides on certification.

Designer of certification standards

Designs, develops, adopts, updates and publishes the standards

NORMATYS designs, develops, adopts, updates and publishes environmental certification standards. NORMATYS carries out no certification, audit or conformity assessment activity: those operations are carried out by IRICE, a separate certification body.

Separation of roles

Function	Entity	Role
Trademark holder	NORMAXIS	Holds the Effinature, BPS and Efficarbone trademarks and licenses their use
Designer of the standards	NORMATYS	Designs, develops, adopts, updates and publishes the standards
Scheme committee	Biodiversity Standard Council	Scientific and technical committee for the NORMATYS standards. Approves the versions of the standards; run by IRICE on behalf of NORMATYS
Certification body	IRICE	Assesses and decides, as a third party. Cofrac accreditation No. 5-0655 · Certification of products, processes and services · ISO/IEC 17065 · Scope available on www.cofrac.fr

NORMATYS and IRICE are 2 separate companies within the NORMAXIS group. NORMATYS develops the standard, IRICE assesses and decides on certification. NORMATYS takes no part in the certification process.

Openness of the scheme

Open to all traders, as the directive requires

The scheme is open to any trader willing and able to comply with its requirements, under transparent, fair and non-discriminatory terms. No discretionary selection, no prior membership of any network. The eligibility criteria are public and the fee scale is communicated on request: scheme conditions.

Licensed certification bodies

The standards are operated under an exclusive licence granted to IRICE, a certification body and a company separate from NORMATYS. The Effinature HVE addendum is open to any certification body holding ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation for a scope covering the addendum, under a non-exclusive licence on the same terms for all: licence terms. The certification body assesses and decides on certification; NORMATYS takes no part in it.

OpenNAT maintenance contribution

NORMATYS publishes the OpenNAT method and keeps its registry. With the maintenance contribution, a company funds the ecological upkeep of green spaces it does not own, paid after each successful Effinature HVE control: rules, published price and contract templates. On biodiversity credits, the NORMATYS position and the rules of the OpenNAT method are set out on a reference page, with the press kit.

Frequently asked questions

Who designs the Effinature standard?: The Effinature standard is designed by NORMATYS, which develops, adopts, updates and publishes it; the Biodiversity Standard Council, the scheme committee run by IRICE on behalf of NORMATYS, approves its versions. Effinature certification is delivered by IRICE, certification body (Cofrac accreditation No. 5-0655 · Certification of products, processes and services · ISO/IEC 17065 · Scope available on www.cofrac.fr). NORMATYS and IRICE are 2 separate companies: NORMATYS takes no part in the certification process.
What is NORMATYS?: NORMATYS is the designer of the Effinature and BPS standards, and of the CBCA standard, in preparation: it designs, develops, adopts, updates and publishes them. NORMATYS carries out no certification, audit or conformity assessment activity: those operations are carried out by IRICE, a separate certification body.
Who holds the Effinature, BPS and Efficarbone trademarks?: The trademarks are held by NORMAXIS. The standards are designed by NORMATYS. Certification is delivered by IRICE. These 3 functions sit with distinct entities, and that split is public.
Are the owner of the standard and the third party that checks compliance separate, as Directive (EU) 2024/825 requires?: Yes. The directive requires compliance to be checked by a third party independent of both the scheme owner and the trader. NORMATYS designs the standard; IRICE, a separate company, assesses and decides on certification.

Consult the standards

Effinature, BPS, and the CBCA in preparation.

Consult the scheme conditions

Eligibility, procedures, rules of use. Freely accessible.

Trademark usage rules

Conditions for displaying and withdrawing the Effinature signs.

Apply to the scheme committee

The Biodiversity Standard Council, run operationally by IRICE on behalf of NORMATYS.