Sustainable Forestry

FSC CoC certification improves your business image by helping your customers choose products that contribute to global conservation, community well-being and economic stability.

CoC certification verifies company systems for tracking and handling materials used in FSC-certified forest products within the company's operations and ensures the credibility of FSC claims.

FSC CoC certification is available to all companies that process or sell forest products. Candidates include sawmills, secondary manufacturers, broker/distributors, wholesalers, retailers, printers and paper merchants.

In order for your clients to manufacture an FSC-certified product or for retailers to make an FSC claim about the products you sell to them, you must be FSC CoC certified. Certified companies also benefit from access to FSC web listings.

Multi-Site Certification

Multi-site certification is an option for companies that operate with several facilities to set up a "Central Office" and manage one certificate. For more information, see the multi-site certification standard.

Group Certification

Group certification is an option for several independent, small operations to join together under a common association and designate a "Group Manager" to oversee one certificate. For more information, see the group certification policy.

Both group and multi-site CoC certification allow certification bodies to evaluate participating operations or sites based on audit sampling in recognition of common, centrally administered, and monitored control and reporting systems. This reduces direct auditing costs.

FSC Controlled Wood in a CoC Certificate

CoC certification with FSC Controlled Wood is required for FSC CoC certification applicants 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. Companies are evaluated and approved against the FSC Controlled Wood standard. These companies are issued a CW certificate registration code in addition to the CoC certificate code. However, the Controlled Wood code is only used when a company is approved to sell products with "FSC Controlled Wood" claims.

FSC Project Certification

FSC project certification is applicable to new building or renovation projects, or one-off production of a specific item. This type of certification verifies use of FSC-certified and/or post-consumer reclaimed input materials in the project, allowing the project manager or owner to make FSC promotional claims. For more information, see the project certification standard.

The Rainforest Alliance's SmartWood program awards Forest Stewardship Council (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.

The assessment for FSC Chain-of-Custody (CoC) includes the following steps:

1. The company fills out the Chain-of-Custody application.
2. The SmartWood regional contact creates a budget (the application is not binding until the budget is approved by the candidate company).
3. SmartWood helps 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 SmartWood program.
5. The company prepares its systems and procedures to meet the FSC CoC requirements.
6. A SmartWood auditor evaluates the company 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 SmartWood.
9. A certification agreement is signed by the company and the Rainforest Alliance and a certificate registration code is issued.
10. SmartWood conducts annual audits of the company operations to monitor compliance with the standards and maintain the certificate.

Please see Chain-of-Custody (CoC) Audit Process Description for a more detailed description of the process.

The certification process takes only a matter of weeks from the time of the on-site evaluation to the time you receive your certificate. Special arrangements can be made for specific timeframes if you need to get a certificate sooner because of customer demand.

Standards and Policies

	FSC Standard for Chain-of-Custody Certification: FSC-STD-40-004 V2-0 [En  Español]		The FSC CoC standard that applies to all company types including manufacturers, brokers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, printers, and paper merchants. This standard is required for all FSC CoC certificate holders including single, multi-site and group certificates, but does not include project certification (see below).
	FSC Standard for Controlled Wood (CW): FSC-STD-40-005 V2-1 [En  Español]		The FSC standard required for all certified companies that use non-FSC certified virgin materials in FSC product groups as well as companies wishing to sell "FSC Controlled Wood" products. The Controlled Wood standard supplements the FSC Chain-of-Custody Standard (40-004) above.
	FSC Standard for Sourcing Reclaimed Materials: FSC-STD-40-007 V1-0		The FSC standard required for all certified companies that source reclaimed materials for use in FSC product groups. This standard supplements the FSC Chain-of-Custody Standard (40-004) above.
	FSC Standard for Product "Type" Classification: FSC-STD-40-004a V1-0		An FSC CoC supplementary standard that provides universal product classification terms and codes. This is necessary for certified companies to use for assigning a product "type" for each product sold with FSC claims, which is required in the company's 'FSC Product Group Schedule.'
	FSC Standard for Species Terminology: FSC-STD-40-004b V1-0		The FSC CoC supplementary standard that is used by certified companies to define species in products sold with FSC claims. This terminology is to be used in the company's 'FSC Product Group Schedule' as applicable for certification.
	FSC Standard for Multi-Site Chain-of-Custody Certification: FSC-STD-40-003 V1-0		Requirements for companies that would like to obtain one FSC Chain-of-Custody certificate that covers several facilities; this standard includes the multi-site requirements that supplement the FSC Chain-of-Custody Standard (40-004) above.
	FSC Policy for Group Chain-of-Custody Certification: FSC-POL-40-002_2004		Requirements for small businesses of all types that would like to join together to obtain one FSC Chain-of-Custody certificate that covers several companies; this policy includes group requirements that supplement the FSC Chain-of-Custody Standard (40-004) above. The document linked to on the left is FSC's official policy document; see the section below for SmartWood's summary of requirements fact sheet (CoC-34).
	FSC Standard for Project Certification: FSC-STD-40-006 V1-0		Information for builders and project managers seeking one-off certification for a specific building project.

Advice Notes and Guidance

	Implementation of FSC Controlled Wood Requirements in 40-005: FSC-ADV-40-016 V2-0		This FSC Advice Note provides clarifications and guidance for implementation of the FSC Controlled Wood requirements applicable to non-FSC, virgin inputs per requirements in FSC-STD-40-005V2-1. Update 8th April 2009.
	FSC Minor Components Derogation Applications: FSC-PRO-40-004 V2-1		The FSC procedural document for companies that would like to use "minor components" in their FSC product groups for which they cannot source the input as FSC-Certified, FSC Controlled Wood, or reclaimed. This includes procedures for certification body review and approval of derogation applications. The derogation application form and this document are only applicable to minor components between one and five percent of the total product volume.
	FSC Minor Components Derogation: Application Form: FSC-PRO-40-004b V1-1		Derogation application form required for companies to use when requesting approval of a minor component between one and five percent.
	Chain-of-Custody Audit Process Description		This SmartWood guidance document explains the certification assessment process and what to expect for CoC initial assessments and annual audits.
	Chain-of-Custody Certification Pre-requisites Checklist: CoC-47 May 08		An internal checklist available to certification applicants in order to understand what needs to be in place prior to being awarded an FSC Chain-of-Custody certificate. It is strongly recommended that these areas be addressed prior to a SmartWood assessment.
	Outsourcing Requirements: SmartWood Summary Fact Sheet: CoC-51 Aug 07 [En  Español]		A SmartWood document that summarizes the requirements to include outsourcing for the processing of FSC product materials by a subcontractor in an FSC Chain-of-Custody certificate scope. This document includes a sample outsourcing agreement.
	Group Chain-of-Custody Certification Requirements: SmartWood Summary Fact Sheet: CoC-34 Aug 07		A SmartWood document that summarizes the requirements for Group Chain-of-Custody certification, based on FSC-POL-40-002. This document includes a summary of the SmartWood assessment process.
	Group Certification Prerequisites Checklist: CoC-49 Aug 07		An internal checklist available to Group certification applicants in order to understand what needs to be in place prior to being awarded an FSC Group Chain-of-Custody certificate. This checklist supplements the full FSC CoC prerequisites checklist.
	FSC Transitory Requirements Until 31 December 2010: FSC-ADV-40-004 V2-0		This FSC Advice Note addresses two specific, but separate areas that may apply to certificate holders: 1) use of co-products sourced from primary manufacturing in FSC product groups; and 2) the minimum thresholds for labeling chip/fiber-based FSC mixed products in the percentage system.

To apply for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain-of-Custody certification:

• In Europe, Russia, Turkey and Israel, contact our partner NEPCon.
  
  
• In Brazil, contact our partner IMAFLORA.
  
  
• In North America, South America (except Brazil), Central America and the Caribbean, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region, fill out the appropriate application form as follows:
  • FSC Chain-of-Custody certification [English | French | Spanish]
  • FSC Chain-of-Custody certification (printers and paper merchants only) [English | French | Spanish]
  • FSC Chain-of-Custody certification appendix for Multi-Site or Group (supplements full CoC application above)
    [English | French | Spanish]