With four months to go until new European Union Deforestation Regulation comes into force, business standards company BSI and Optel have partnered to help organisations navigate the challenge of complex supply chains, reduce deforestation risks, and meet regulatory requirements.

Deforestation poses a significant threat to Europe’s biodiversity and ecological stability and has resulted in the loss of more than half of the continent’s forests in the last 6,000 years, according to figures from the Forest Stewardship Council. The EUDR is intended as a new step towards sustainable sourcing and traceability by halting and reversing EU-driven global deforestation.

The partnership between BSI and Optel aims to provide organisations with supply chain transparency and to help them handle the growing complexity of global supply chains. Neil Coole, enterprise partnerships director at BSI, said: “The EU Deforestation Regulation is a significant requirement for organisations. Whether it’s cocoa or coffee, rubber or wood, businesses operating in the EU must be able to provide evidence of robust traceability, compliance, and due diligence for their products throughout their supply chains.

“We’re delighted to partner with Optel to support organisations with navigating the challenges of complex supply chains, reduce deforestation risks, and meet regulatory requirements, ensuring sustainable and responsible sourcing practices.”

The EUDR rules apply for large and medium-sized operators and traders from 30 December 2025, and for micro and small enterprises from 30 June 2026. Companies must conduct and document due diligence confirming that products are deforestation-free (not sourced from recently deforested land after 31 December 2020 and not linked to forest degradation), produced in compliance with local environmental and social laws and provide a due diligence statement submitted to an EU system. Companies could face penalties of up to 4% of their EU turnover for non-compliance.

Florent Bouguin, executive VP and CTO at Optel, added: “We see digital traceability as essential for building responsible, future-ready supply chains. By partnering with BSI, we combine trusted standards and assurance with our real-time platform to help companies meet EUDR requirements and go beyond compliance. Together, we turn supply chain visibility into meaningful action, ensuring products are deforestation-free and aligned with sustainability goals.”

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