Closed-loop recirculation
Closed-loop water and nutrient management of the system.
Blue Circle Certification
Certify the value of your production.
Blue Circle Certification is the system designed to assess, document and add value to the practices adopted by farming businesses.
What it certifies
Declaring is not enough. You have to prove it.
Blue Circle Certification is not a marketing sticker: it is a structured path that assesses defined requirements on the basis of verified evidence and returns a score through a transparent methodology.
Blue Circle certification is a proprietary standard for soilless farming with water recirculation: hydroponics, aquaponics, aeroponics, bioponics and similar methods. It does not replace and is not equivalent to organic, ISO, GlobalG.A.P. or other official schemes.
- 01
Requirements
What the company must comply with, defined in the Blue Circle standard.
- 02
Indicators
Measurable quantities that make every requirement comparable.
- 03
Evidence
Data, records and documents proving the declared conditions.
- 04
Documentation
An orderly collection of the evidence supporting the assessment.
- 05
Audits
Verification of evidence and declared conditions, on site where needed.
- 06
Assessment
Analysis according to the Blue Circle methodology.
- 07
Score
Scores assigned per area and overall.
- 08
Final result
Outcome, issuing of the certification and CERTIFIED showcase.
Certification method
From requirement to certification.
Six stages, from the first assessment to ongoing monitoring.
If the company turns out not to be certifiable, the process stops: only the fixed cost is invoiced and we discuss together the points to improve for a future assessment.
- 01
Assessment
Analysis of the company and the applicable requirements, starting from an introductory video call.
- 02
Evidence collection
Documentation and data supporting the requirements, through the self-assessment form.
- 03
Verification
Checking the evidence and the declared conditions.
- 04
Scoring
Scores assigned according to the Blue Circle methodology.
- 05
Certification
Issuing of the result, the certificate and the CERTIFIED showcase on the portal.
- 06
Monitoring
Annual review, with the option to maintain and update the information over time.
Assessment areas
Core requirements and areas of the standard.
The Blue Circle standard focuses on closed-loop water and nutrient management. The assessment areas listed here reflect the structure of the standard, which is being published.
IPM control and zero waste
Integrated pest management and waste reduction.
Animal welfare
For aquaponic systems: rearing conditions and water quality.
Renewable energy
Energy sourcing and impact reduction.
- Resource efficiency
- Water management
- Nutrient management
- Energy
- Production
- Traceability
- Monitoring
- Process management
- Innovation
- Transparency
Detailed indicators and per-area scores will be published together with the full standard.
Fee and transparency
Transparent fees, by facility class.
The fee depends on the size and complexity of the facility. Here are three typical examples: the final fee is confirmed after the assessment.
Micro & Vertical INP
Class 1
From €490
Typical example
- Area: up to 500 sqm
- Single water recirculation loop
- Ideal for urban vertical farms and aquaponics
District greenhouses
Class 2
From €1,800
Typical example
- Area: 0.5 – 2 ha
- NFT / substrate growing
- Ideal for established farming businesses
Large hi-tech facilities
Classes 3 & 4
Tailored solutions
Capped at €4,500
Typical example
- Area: over 3 ha
- Multiple production sites
- Custom ERP/API integrations
First-year fee: includes the documentary review, issuing of the certificate and the CERTIFIED showcase. From the second year the maintenance fee is reduced by 50%. Prices exclude VAT; any travel costs for on-site assessments are quoted separately.
Mark and authority
Licence to use the Blue Circle mark on products and on site, printed certificate, annual review.
Commercial visibility
Priority CERTIFIED showcase on the Blue Circle portal with direct B2B contacts and available batches.
Tech package
QR batch traceability and the CERTIFIED showcase, available on any software plan, including Base.
In development for certified members: a growers' network to share ideas and experience, and technical webinars with suppliers, consultants and researchers.
Certification requests area
Register your company, fill in the data, select requirements, attach evidence and follow status and outcome.
ESG principles
The ESG principles of the Blue Circle certificate.
Environment, social responsibility and governance: the three axes on which the Blue Circle standard builds requirements, evidence and scoring.
EnvironmentalThe environmental impact of production, measured on the real consumption of the facility.
- Closed-loop water recirculation and irrigation calibrated to crop demand
- Rational nutrient use, with residual solutions returned to the cycle
- Energy efficiency, renewable sources and priority to natural light
- Reusable substrates, no non-recyclable materials and no peat
- Waste reduction: green-waste recovery, composting, protection of soil
SocialResponsibility towards people, animals and the end consumer.
- Food safety and hygiene along the whole production chain
- Welfare of aquatic organisms in aquaponic systems
- Integrated pest management (IPM) and fewer chemical treatments
- Local sales and product freshness, with lower transport impact
- Clear consumer information on how the product was grown
GovernanceWritten rules, verifiable evidence and accountability in the use of the mark.
- Requirements defined in a technical standard, with clear certification boundaries
- Compliance with European, national and local regulations as a prerequisite
- Records, data and documentation supporting every declared requirement
- Periodic audits, non-conformity handling, suspension or withdrawal in case of misuse
- Commitment to continuous improvement and annual review of the result
The principles summarised here derive from the Blue Circle technical standard. The full document is shared with companies during the certification path.
Who it is for
Built for soilless growers who want to prove it.
Farming businesses
To document and add value to their production model.
Soilless farms
To make production processes measurable and verifiable.
Hydroponic farms
To document practices, consumption and performance.
Aquaponic farms
To add value to an integrated production model.
Bioponic farms
To document the use of organic-based nutrient solutions in recirculating systems.
Aeroponic farms
To make water use, nutrients and system efficiency comparable.
Growers and professional operators
To increase transparency and the ability to communicate their value.
Supply chains and partners
To create shared criteria and comparable information.
Ecosystem
Software and certification. Stronger together.
The software helps the company collect and organise data; the certification uses evidence and audits to assess compliance with the requirements of the Blue Circle model. They are independent products, designed to work together.
- 01SoftwareCollects the data
- 02DataDocuments the process
- 03Blue Circle CertificationVerifies the evidence
- 04CertificationMakes the result communicable
Request the certification.
It starts with a no-obligation introductory video call: together we look at your system, the applicable requirements and the fee.