The Parameterized SUI Protocol
The Parameterized SUI Protocol
A SUI is not fully defined until its parameters are documented. The Parameterized SUI Protocol is a structured specification format that captures everything needed to (a) communicate the SUI unambiguously, (b) instruct a verification auditor, and (c) design a financial instrument around it.
The SUI Parameter Set
Every SUI must specify the following eight parameters:
| # | Parameter | Description | Example (Becaps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SUI Name | A plain-language name that identifies the unit | Chemical Displacement per Hectare |
| 2 | Outcome Domain | The system being changed (taxonomy-linked) | Climate — GHG Emissions Avoided (IRIS+ PI5765) |
| 3 | Application Event | The specific company action that triggers one SUI | Application of 1 kg Becaps biostimulant to 1 hectare of cultivated land |
| 4 | Baseline Value | Counterfactual outcome in the absence of the intervention | 220 kg N/ha synthetic fertiliser application (regional average, DANE 2023) |
| 5 | Observed Value | Measured outcome with the intervention | 85 kg N/ha (average across 120 trial plots, 2023–2024) |
| 6 | SUI Magnitude | Net impact = Baseline − Observed, converted to outcome unit | 135 kg N/ha displacement × 0.758 CO₂e/kg N = 102.4 kg CO₂e/ha |
| 7 | Uncertainty Range | 95% confidence interval on the SUI magnitude | ±12.3 kg CO₂e/ha (±12%) |
| 8 | Verification Protocol | How, when, and by whom the SUI is verified | Annual third-party LCA audit by certified GHG verifier; SSOT ingest from production batch records + soil lab reports |
The SUI Specification Document
A complete SUI specification document contains the parameter set above plus the following supporting sections:
Section A: Taxonomy Mapping
Map the SUI to every relevant standard:
- IRIS+ indicator code(s) and description
- SDG target(s) (e.g., SDG 2.4, SDG 13.1)
- EU Taxonomy objective and activity code (if applicable)
- TNFD indicator (if nature-related)
- AIMM sector and dimension (if MDB investment is planned)
Section B: Baseline Documentation
For every SUI, the baseline must be documented with:
- Source of baseline data (peer-reviewed study, government statistics, industry survey)
- Year of baseline data and update frequency
- Geographic scope and representativeness
- Baseline degradation plan (what happens if the baseline changes — e.g., if synthetic fertiliser use declines nationally)
Section C: SSOT Architecture Summary
A brief description of the Single Source of Truth system that will hold the underlying data:
- Data sources feeding the SSOT (ERP records, IoT sensors, lab reports, satellite data)
- Data governance: who can write, who can read, what is immutable
- Audit trail: how a verifier accesses historical records
- Verification interface: the data export format provided to third-party auditors
Section D: Aggregation Rules
How individual SUI events are summed to produce period totals:
- Temporal aggregation (annual, quarterly, rolling 12-month)
- Geographic aggregation (by country, region, or global)
- Double-counting prevention (if a product is applied and then re-applied to the same area in the same period)
- Boundary conditions (minimum threshold for counting one SUI event)
The SUI Specification Template
SUI SPECIFICATION DOCUMENT Version: 1.0 Company: [Name] Date: [YYYY-MM-DD] Author: [Name, Role] Verifier (pending): [Name of planned third-party auditor] ═══════════════════════════════════════════ PARAMETER SET ═══════════════════════════════════════════ 1. SUI Name: ___________________________________ 2. Outcome Domain: _____________________________ IRIS+ Code: ________________________________ SDG Target: ________________________________ 3. Application Event: __________________________ Trigger condition: _________________________ Unit of application: _______________________ 4. Baseline Value: ____________________________ Baseline source: ___________________________ Baseline year: _____________________________ 5. Observed Value: ____________________________ Measurement method: ________________________ Sample size / coverage: ____________________ 6. SUI Magnitude: _____________________________ Calculation: (Baseline - Observed) × [conversion factor] 7. Uncertainty Range: _________________________ Confidence level: __________________________ 8. Verification Protocol: ______________________ Verifier type: _____________________________ Verification frequency: ____________________ SSOT access method: ________________________ ═══════════════════════════════════════════ TAXONOMY MAPPING ═══════════════════════════════════════════ IRIS+: [ ] PI5765 [ ] PI7685 [ ] Other: ______ EU Taxonomy: [ ] Mitigation [ ] Adaptation [ ] N/A TNFD: [ ] Yes (metric: _________) [ ] N/A AIMM: [ ] Sector: _______ [ ] N/A ═══════════════════════════════════════════ VALIDATION SIGN-OFF ═══════════════════════════════════════════ Internal review by: ____________________ Date: __________________________________ External verification by: ______________ Date: __________________________________ Verification standard used: ____________
Living Document Protocol
The SUI specification is a living document that must be updated under the following conditions:
- When the product formulation or delivery mechanism changes materially
- When the baseline data source is updated (triggers recalculation of all prior SUI magnitudes, with appropriate notes)
- When the company expands to a new geography with a materially different baseline
- When the verification protocol changes (e.g., new verifier, new standard)
- At minimum annually, as part of the impact reporting cycle
Continue to Chapter 3: The SSOT Architecture — building the data infrastructure that makes SUI verification possible.