The Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) initiative is a pre-market approach developed by the European Commission to ensure products meet stringent safety and sustainability goals throughout their lifecycle. Within PARC, it continued to gain momentum in 2024, driving innovation toward safer chemicals and materials.

This year, PARC made significant progress in operationalising the SSbD framework in the form of developing a toolbox. Here is what happened in 2024.

Toolbox development milestones

The PARC SSbD Toolbox ↗ entered its initial testing phase in May 2024, marking an essential step toward making the concept a practical reality. This toolbox is a robust collection of models, algorithms, workflows, and databases made to help users assess and (re)design chemicals and materials in alignment with SSbD principles.

At its core, the toolbox offers:

• Customisable tools for various levels of data availability and specific needs.
• Workflow systems to streamline assessments and decision-making.
• Decision-support mechanisms that provide clear, actionable recommendations.

Collaborative progress through stakeholder input and shared learning

The toolbox’s evolution is being driven by a co-creation approach, with user feedback playing a vital role. An event that proved this collaborative approach was the Sustainable Chemicals and Safe and Sustainable-by-Design Workshop in Brussels on 9 December, where attendees could explore the toolbox’s functionalities and give suggestions for further refinement. This way, the tool aligns with real-world challenges of sustainability and innovation.

At another event, from 22-25 October 2024, PARC hosted the Second SSbD Boot Camp in Thessaloniki, Greece, bringing together experts and stakeholders from across Europe. This training focused on capacity-building for the SSbD framework. Participants explored practical applications of the SSbD principles and gained insights into how the framework can be implemented at various stages of chemical and material development.

In parallel with the toolbox, PARC developed the knowledge sharing platform SSbD User Community on PARCopedia ↗ for anyone interested in sharing resources and fostering exchange.  

Let’s stay connected in 2025

One exciting progress to look forward to in the next year is the alpha release of the toolbox scheduled for April 2025, promising an even more refined and user-friendly platform.  

The SSbD initiative is a collective effort to redefine how we innovate and develop safely and sustainably. Be part of this journey by engaging with PARC and contributing your expertise by:

• Exploring and registering ↗ to the SSbD Toolbox and stay updated about exciting news.
• Share feedback ↗ to help shape and improve this initiative.