Unlike traditional Chain of Custody certification, which tracks individual timber products through the supply chain, project sourcing certification applies to timber elements that are sourced and used within parts of specific buildings and entire construction projects.
It provides a practical management system that enables developers, contractors and project teams, to demonstrate and communicate that timber specified within a project has been sourced from PEFC-certified and/or recycled and/or PEFC-controlled sources, with full traceability using an independent, third-party audited procurement procedure.
To achieve certification, at least 70% of the timber within the defined project scope must comprise PEFC certified material, while each individual installed components (e.g. CLT, roof trusses, windows, doors etc.) must also contain a minimum of 70% certified content made up from PEFC certified material and/or material supplied under another qualifying certification scheme. This provides project teams with greater procurement flexibility while maintaining a high threshold for responsible sourcing in line with commonly used overarching green building standards such as BREEAM and LEED.
Certification can cover either an individual project or operate as a continuous certification programme, allowing organisations managing multiple projects to bring them under a single management system.
Examples of projects that the certification could be applied to are:
- New build commercial and office buildings
- Private and social housing projects
- Renovation, refurbishment and conservation schemes
- Airports and railway stations
- Schools, playgrounds, skate parks, and sports arenas
- Boats and harbours
- Event and trade show infrastructure (stages, seating, stands)
- Civil engineering projects including bridges and tunnels
View the PEFC Project Sourcing Certification Requirements (PEFC ST 2102: 2026)
View the additional certification body requirements for PEFC Project Sourcing Certification (PEFC IM 2103: 2026)
How the New Standard Works
Learn more about the new PEFC Project Sourcing Standard by watching the video below or reading our latest news article, which explains the recent changes.