New IRISS publication: Mapping the SSbD landscape and developing good practices

In February 2026, a new publication from IRISS was published in Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy that provides an up-to-date overview of the SSbD landscape and illustrates its implementation through good practices and case examples from seven value chains.

Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) is a transformative approach to innovation that integrates functionality with safety, sustainability, and circularity from the earliest stages of development. By adopting a lifecycle perspective, SSbD not only minimizes risks to human health and the environment but also fosters purpose-driven innovation and strengthens industrial competitiveness.

To address the challenges of practical integration of SSbD into iterative innovation processes, this study provides an overview of existing SSbD roadmaps, guidelines, and frameworks, aligning them with the early, mid, and late stages of innovation. Building on insights from the literature findings and practical examples from the packaging, textiles, automotive, energy materials, electronics, construction, and fragrance sectors, good practices were identified and structured across corporate, managerial, and operational levels.

As SSbD methodologies and tools continue to evolve, particularly for early-stage innovation, the approach is set to accelerate the transition toward sustainable, competitive, and resilient global markets in line with the European Union's goal for industrial competitiveness.

This article was developed under the IRISS Project (June 2022 - May 2025), which received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under grant agreement no 101058245. UK participants in Project IRISS were supported by UKRI grant 10038816. CH participants in Project IRISS received funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).

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