Optimizing the implementation of safe and sustainable by design to better enable sustainable innovation

Summary: The concept of safe and sustainable by design (SSbD) combines considerations of human safety, environmental safety, and sustainability. The SSbD framework developed by the European Commission’s (EC) Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the Safe(r) and Sustainable Innovation Approach (SSIA) devel...

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Main Authors: Ramya Rajagopal, Florence Bohnes, Predrag Kukic, Giles Rigarlsford, Evita Vandenbossche-Goddard, Bruno Campos, Claire Davies, Ian Malcomber, Gavin Maxwell, Sarah Sim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-08-01
Series:iScience
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S258900422501377X
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author Ramya Rajagopal
Florence Bohnes
Predrag Kukic
Giles Rigarlsford
Evita Vandenbossche-Goddard
Bruno Campos
Claire Davies
Ian Malcomber
Gavin Maxwell
Sarah Sim
author_facet Ramya Rajagopal
Florence Bohnes
Predrag Kukic
Giles Rigarlsford
Evita Vandenbossche-Goddard
Bruno Campos
Claire Davies
Ian Malcomber
Gavin Maxwell
Sarah Sim
author_sort Ramya Rajagopal
collection DOAJ
description Summary: The concept of safe and sustainable by design (SSbD) combines considerations of human safety, environmental safety, and sustainability. The SSbD framework developed by the European Commission’s (EC) Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the Safe(r) and Sustainable Innovation Approach (SSIA) developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are two key examples of how SSbD concepts could be implemented in future regulatory frameworks. SSbD assessment can greatly aid the innovation process to ensure that new chemicals/materials, processes, and products are safe and sustainable throughout the life cycle. Unilever is a global consumer goods company that integrates the latest safety and sustainability science and SSbD principles in the innovation process. In this work, we review the JRC SSbD framework and OECD SSIA, taking into consideration the reflections of stakeholders through a review of published and gray literature, to evaluate to what extent they enable SSbD innovation. We make recommendations on how current gaps and challenges can be addressed to enable maximal uptake by all stakeholders across the value chain. The recommendations are mainly aimed at ensuring that the JRC SSbD framework and OECD SSIA are conceptually robust and addressing the practical elements in the use of the latest scientific methodology, availability of data, tools, guidance, and a standardized approach to interpreting results and decision-making, through short- and longer term efforts.
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spelling doaj-art-1c73e8982bcb45afbbdf956715e5f79f2025-08-20T03:32:04ZengElsevieriScience2589-00422025-08-0128811311610.1016/j.isci.2025.113116Optimizing the implementation of safe and sustainable by design to better enable sustainable innovationRamya Rajagopal0Florence Bohnes1Predrag Kukic2Giles Rigarlsford3Evita Vandenbossche-Goddard4Bruno Campos5Claire Davies6Ian Malcomber7Gavin Maxwell8Sarah Sim9Unilever Home Care, Environmental and Regulatory Science, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, UK; Corresponding authorUnilever Safety, Environmental and Regulatory Science, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, UKUnilever Safety, Environmental and Regulatory Science, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, UKUnilever Safety, Environmental and Regulatory Science, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, UKUnilever Safety, Environmental and Regulatory Science, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, UKUnilever Safety, Environmental and Regulatory Science, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, UKUnilever Safety, Environmental and Regulatory Science, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, UKUnilever Safety, Environmental and Regulatory Science, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, UKUnilever Safety, Environmental and Regulatory Science, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, UKUnilever Safety, Environmental and Regulatory Science, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, UKSummary: The concept of safe and sustainable by design (SSbD) combines considerations of human safety, environmental safety, and sustainability. The SSbD framework developed by the European Commission’s (EC) Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the Safe(r) and Sustainable Innovation Approach (SSIA) developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are two key examples of how SSbD concepts could be implemented in future regulatory frameworks. SSbD assessment can greatly aid the innovation process to ensure that new chemicals/materials, processes, and products are safe and sustainable throughout the life cycle. Unilever is a global consumer goods company that integrates the latest safety and sustainability science and SSbD principles in the innovation process. In this work, we review the JRC SSbD framework and OECD SSIA, taking into consideration the reflections of stakeholders through a review of published and gray literature, to evaluate to what extent they enable SSbD innovation. We make recommendations on how current gaps and challenges can be addressed to enable maximal uptake by all stakeholders across the value chain. The recommendations are mainly aimed at ensuring that the JRC SSbD framework and OECD SSIA are conceptually robust and addressing the practical elements in the use of the latest scientific methodology, availability of data, tools, guidance, and a standardized approach to interpreting results and decision-making, through short- and longer term efforts.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S258900422501377XChemistryGreen chemistry
spellingShingle Ramya Rajagopal
Florence Bohnes
Predrag Kukic
Giles Rigarlsford
Evita Vandenbossche-Goddard
Bruno Campos
Claire Davies
Ian Malcomber
Gavin Maxwell
Sarah Sim
Optimizing the implementation of safe and sustainable by design to better enable sustainable innovation
iScience
Chemistry
Green chemistry
title Optimizing the implementation of safe and sustainable by design to better enable sustainable innovation
title_full Optimizing the implementation of safe and sustainable by design to better enable sustainable innovation
title_fullStr Optimizing the implementation of safe and sustainable by design to better enable sustainable innovation
title_full_unstemmed Optimizing the implementation of safe and sustainable by design to better enable sustainable innovation
title_short Optimizing the implementation of safe and sustainable by design to better enable sustainable innovation
title_sort optimizing the implementation of safe and sustainable by design to better enable sustainable innovation
topic Chemistry
Green chemistry
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S258900422501377X
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