Chain of custody certification allows organisations to provide accurate and verifiable information that forest and tree based products are sourced from:
- PEFC certified sustainably managed forests, or;
- recycled sources, which meet PEFC’s definition of recycled; or
- PEFC controlled sources, where it has been verified that the timber has not originated from ‘controversial sources’ as defined by PEFC.
The requirements for chain of custody certification are defined within PEFC ST 2002. Practical application and certification against this standard allows organisations to demonstrate their contribution in sustainable resource management and a strong commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Certification Options
- Individual Certification: Available to individual legal entities who operate from a single physical site.
- Multisite Certification: An organisation consisting of a single legal entity or multiple legal entities operating at multiple sites or multiple legal entities operating at the same site. The structure of a multisite consists of an identified central function (“central office”) at which certain activities are planned, controlled and managed and a network of sites at which such activities are fully or partially carried out. The multisite organisation does not need to be a unique entity, but all sites shall have a legal or contractual link with the “central office” and be subject to a common chain of custody that is managed by the “central office”.
- Group Scheme Certification: Available to smaller organisations which employ up to 50 full-time staff or part-time equivalent, and have a turnover of less than the equivalent of €10 million. Companies that are members of a group can benefit from a simple, straightforward Chain of Custody process that provides all the benefits of being certified whilst giving them the support they need and reducing costs to their business. Group scheme certification is a type of multisite certification. A “Group manager” is appointed who is responsible for developing and maintaining the certification procedures, undertake annual internal audits of members of the group and liaise with the certification body regarding sample surveillance audits.
The UK currently has one group scheme for chain of custody, ‘The FenCert Group’, which is managed by Fenestration Commercial Ltd. For more information about joining the group please contact scheme manager Greg Moore.
