Catching up with IRISS: Building a lasting legacy for safe and sustainable innovation
The EU-funded IRISS(opens in new window) project was launched in 2022 to speed up Europe’s transition to safe-and-sustainable-by-design (SSbD) chemicals, materials, products and processes. In three years, the project focused on helping industries apply SSbD strategies to integrate circularity, climate neutrality, functionality and safety into their innovations. It also contributed to the development of guiding principles and criteria aligned with EU initiatives to protect human health and the environment. The project may have ended in May 2025 but its activities and collaborations still continue with the IRISS International SSbD Community(opens in new window). The IRISS International SSbD Community Platform serves as the main space for interaction and collaboration, offering access to resources, networking opportunities and dedicated discussion spaces. For members, this includes the Industry Hub(opens in new window) that connects seven value chains represented in the community to encourage cross-sector exchanges. Dedicated policy and scientific hubs are also set to launch soon. To ensure that the Community’s activities and platform remain sustainable beyond EU funding, IRISS has introduced a paid membership structure that provides members with extended access to trainings, practical SSbD resources and expert support.
Sustaining momentum
Since the end of the project, IRISS has continued to strengthen collaboration and knowledge exchange through conferences, workshops, webinars and digital networking activities. A major milestone was SSbD25(opens in new window), the second edition of the annual SSbD Conference, held in Switzerland in November 2025. The event brought together participants from 20 countries, enabling exchanges between stakeholders from diverse sectors and different levels of experience within SSbD. More recently, in April 2026, partners in IRISS published a paper(opens in new window) that provides an up-to-date overview of SSbD frameworks, roadmaps and implementation approaches. The paper also identifies good practices for SSbD implementation and showcases practical examples from seven industrial value chains.
Measuring impact and looking ahead
The impact of EU funding is unmistakable. IRISS held more than 25 workshops and training activities and contributed to over 35 conferences, events and expert sessions supporting capacity building around SSbD. It produced scientific articles and more than a dozen public reports. Perhaps more importantly, it also created an international SSbD community that continues beyond the project’s official duration. “IRISS helped strengthen collaboration for SSbD implementation between communities that do not traditionally work closely together to help shape a safer and more sustainable future for chemicals and materials,” comments project lead Emma Strömberg of IRISS project coordinator IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute. “As a result, what was once a relatively new concept is now gaining broader recognition across industry, academia and policy at Member State, EU and international levels.” Beyond 2026, the IRISS International SSbD Community plans to continue expanding its activities through webinars, training programmes and future editions of the SSbD Conference series. The SSbD26 Conference(opens in new window) is scheduled to take place from 9 to 11 November 2026 in Stockholm, Sweden, marking the next chapter in this enduring initiative. The ‘Life After’ feature shines a light on finished EU-funded projects and what they have achieved since the end of EU funding. If you are interested in having your project featured as a ‘Life After’ project, please send us an email to editorial@cordis.europa.eu and tell us why!
