How to Build an Innovation Pipeline Aligned with Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD)

Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) is becoming the new baseline for innovation. The companies that adapt now will lead the next generation of safe, sustainable, and profitable products.

The shift toward sustainable product regulation, decarbonisation, and circularity is reshaping how companies innovate. The European Commission’s Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework brings a new expectation: sustainability and safety should not be checked at the end of R&D, but embedded from the earliest stages of design.

For companies developing chemicals, materials, and engineered products, this requires a transformation of the internal innovation pipeline. The goal is not only compliance, but also competitiveness: SSbD unlocks lower risk, better market access, and more resilient products.

This guide explains how to build an innovation pipeline that is fully aligned with SSbD — covering processes, criteria, and governance.

1. Start with a Clear SSbD Vision and Strategy

Before changing processes, organisations need to define what SSbD means for them. Questions to address:

• How does SSbD support the company’s climate, circularity, and safety objectives?

• Which product portfolios are most exposed to regulatory or market pressure?

• What level of ambition do we aim for — compliance, leadership, or innovation differentiation?

• Which sustainability indicators matter most to our customers?

A clear SSbD strategy should connect directly with the company’s ESG goals, net-zero roadmap, and regulatory commitments (CSRD, ESPR, REACH, etc.).

2. Integrate SSbD Criteria Early in the Innovation Funnel

Traditional innovation focuses first on performance and cost, and only later on safety or sustainability. SSbD flips this logic.

Embed SSbD from the pre-ideation stage

Before ideas are even collected, define go/no-go criteria based on:

• Toxicity and human health safety

• Environmental hazard and fate

• Climate impact (GHG intensity of materials or processes)

• Resource efficiency and circularity potential

• Durability, reparability, or recyclability requirements

• Exposure minimisation opportunities

• Critical raw materials risk

These criteria become filters that shape the type of ideas the organisation seeks.

Develop SSbD “Idea Briefs”

Each new concept should include:

• Intended function

• Preliminary hazard profile (if applicable)

• Anticipated life-cycle hotspots

• Alignment with sustainability targets (1.5°C, circular, non-toxic)

This shifts innovators from “Can we develop this?” to “Should we develop this?”

3. Use Stage-Gate Processes Adapted to SSbD

A standard R&D stage-gate model can be upgraded to include SSbD checkpoints:

Gate 0 – Opportunity Identification

• Market needs + sustainability drivers

Early-risk scanning (toxicity, critical materials, high GHG inputs)

Gate 1 – Feasibility

• Preliminary screening using SSbD criteria

• Early life-cycle thinking (hotspot identification)

Alternatives assessment where hazards appear

Gate 2 – Development

• Quantitative LCA / PEF studies

• Exposure assessments

• Safe design considerations (substitution, encapsulation, process changes)

Gate 3 – Scale-up

• Manufacturing footprint assessment

• Worker exposure and safety integration

• End-of-life scenario definition

Gate 4 – Launch

• Verified sustainability performance

• Compliance with ESPR, DPP, CSRD, etc.

• Customer communication and claims validation

This structure ensures sustainability is non-negotiable at each step.

4. Build Robust SSbD Criteria and Tools

To ensure consistency across projects, companies need a shared set of evaluation tools:

• Core tools

• Hazard and risk assessment frameworks (aligned with REACH and CLP)

• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) or PEF methodology

• Exposure scenario analysis

• Chemical alternatives assessment

• Circularity metrics (material recovery rate, recyclability, lifetime extension)

• Product-specific scorecards

• Translate SSbD into a scoring model that assesses:

• Safety

• Environmental impact

• Climate performance

• Circularity potential

• Data quality and evidence

A simple traffic-light system can drive decision-making and communication across teams.

5. Establish Governance and Accountability

SSbD is not only a technical exercise; it requires organisational discipline.

Key governance components:

1. Cross-functional SSbD Steering Committee

Includes R&D, sustainability, EHS, procurement, regulatory, and business units.

2. Clear ownership

Define who approves SSbD criteria, who performs assessments, and who signs off go/no-go gates.

3. Standard operating procedures

Documented processes for how SSbD is integrated across each project stage.

4. Training and capability building

Teams need to understand sustainability science, hazard assessment, LCA principles, and regulatory trends.

5. Continuous improvement system

Use data from launched products to refine criteria and tools.

Good governance ensures SSbD is not optional, but embedded.

6. Integrate Suppliers and External Partners

Most environmental and safety impacts come from upstream materials and processes. A strong SSbD pipeline:

• Requires suppliers to provide hazard, footprint, and circularity data

• Encourages co-development of safer alternatives

• Uses procurement criteria aligned with SSbD principles

• Engages research institutes and startups for innovation scouting

This widens the funnel of potential sustainable solutions.

7. Measure Success and Communicate Progress

To maintain momentum, define KPIs such as:

• % of new products assessed under SSbD

• % of R&D projects passing SSbD stage-gates

• GHG and toxicity reductions achieved vs. baseline products

• Number of hazardous substances substituted

• % of products compatible with circular business models

Tie these KPIs to R&D incentives and corporate sustainability reporting (CSRD, ISSB, etc.).

SSbD as a Competitive Advantage

Building an innovation pipeline aligned with SSbD is not just a regulatory requirement — it’s a strategic advantage. Companies that embed SSbD early unlock:

• Faster compliance with upcoming EU regulations

• Reduced toxicity and safety risks

• Lower carbon and resource footprints

• Higher market acceptance and customer trust

• More resilient product portfolios

Those that wait will face costly redesigns, supply-chain disruptions, and loss of competitiveness.