EUROCERT at the Conference “The Science of Olive Oil”: Quality and Sustainability at the Heart of the Value Chain
The Conference “The Science of Olive Oil”, held from 25 to 27 September 2026 in Heraklion, Crete, was successfully concluded, bringing together representatives of the scientific and academic community, industry professionals, and stakeholders from across the olive oil sector.
EUROCERT participated as a sponsor of the Conference, supporting an event dedicated to quality, innovation, and sustainability, while actively contributing to the dialogue on the current challenges and future prospects of Greek olive oil.
As part of the scientific programme, Mr. Fanourios Ximerakis, EUROCERT’s Business Development Manager for Crete and Lead Auditor for Management Systems, delivered a presentation entitled “From Quality to Sustainability: Measuring, Verifying and Communicating Environmental Performance across the Olive Oil Value Chain.”
During his presentation, Mr. Ximerakis highlighted the key environmental challenges encountered throughout the various stages of the olive oil value chain, emphasising the importance of collecting reliable data, measuring environmental performance, and independently verifying the results.
Particular emphasis was placed on carbon footprint measurement, as well as on internationally recognised standards and tools that can support businesses in documenting their environmental performance. These included the International Standards ISO 14064-1 and ISO 14067, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), and Sustainability Reports.
A key message of the presentation was the need to move beyond general references to sustainability towards an approach based on measurable data, documented evidence, and independent verification. Reliable assessment of environmental performance can serve as an essential tool for improving environmental performance, strengthening compliance and credibility, and further enhancing the competitiveness of Greek olive oil in international markets.
EUROCERT’s participation in the Conference “The Science of Olive Oil” reflects its ongoing commitment to initiatives that promote knowledge, quality, and sustainable development. Through its expertise and experience in certification, inspection, and verification, EUROCERT continues to support businesses and organisations in adopting reliable and measurable sustainability practices, contributing to the creation of added value for businesses, society, and the environment.