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FSC Chain-of-Custody Certification

		Contact a SmartWood representative.

Chain-of-Custody (CoC) certification is a third-party verification program for the tracking and handling of specific inputs used in Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) product groups. FSC CoC assures companies handling forest products as well as consumers and other end-users that the FSC-certified products they purchase are from responsible sources. If your business is involved in the production or delivery of products that will be sold as FSC-certified, you must hold an FSC CoC certificate issued by an FSC-accredited certification body in order to make FSC claims about your products.

CoC certification is available for any operation that purchases and sells forest products, such as sawmills, secondary manufacturers, broker/distributors, wholesalers, retailers, printers, paper merchants and other points in the forest products supply chain.

FSC Controlled Wood is required within FSC CoC certification applicable to companies that need to control their non-FSC virgin inputs used in FSC-certified products, as well as to FSC-certified companies wishing to supply "FSC Controlled Wood" products to other FSC-certified companies within a supply chain developing FSC Mixed products.

Certification for specific projects, e.g., building sites, is also available.

The Certification Process

The Rainforest Alliance's SmartWood program awards FSC certification based on audit results and issues certificates for five-year periods. The first audit, called the Assessment, is the most rigorous, as it determines the initial decision to certify. The Assessment is followed by four annual audits required to maintain certification. Our SmartWood experts have assessed more than 1,400 operations around the world. The entire process is efficient, thorough and transparent.

The Assessment for FSC Chain-of-Custody includes the following steps:

1. The company fills out an application to be certified.
2. We create a budget (the application is not binding until the budget is approved by the candidate company).
3. We help the company determine which certification strategy (certificate type, certificate scope) is the best approach.
4. A service agreement is signed by the company and the Rainforest Alliance.
5. The company prepares its systems and procedures to meet the FSC CoC standards.
6. A SmartWood auditor evaluates your operations against the applicable FSC requirements.
7. An assessment report is provided to the company for review and approval.
8. A certification decision is made by the Rainforest Alliance.
9. A certification agreement is signed by the company and the Rainforest Alliance and a certificate registration code is issued.
10. We conduct annual audits of your operation to monitor compliance with the standards and maintain your certificate.

For all candidates, the first step is to fill out an application form, or to contact a local SmartWood representative.