FSC ® - Testimony to responsible forest management

Forests, wood products, print & paper

FSC® chain of custody certification (CoC) identifies wood, wood products and paper and also printed materials whose raw materials originate from responsible forest management and other controlled sources.
Ever more consumers wish to conserve natural resources when purchasing wood and paper products, and they value ethical forest management and wood processing. The non-governmental, not-for-profit Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) has formulated corresponding criteria expressing commitment to environmentally and socially responsible use of forests which is also economically viable FSC® chain of custody certification (CoC) identifies wood, wood products and paper and also printed materials whose raw materials originate from responsible forest management and other controlled sources.
Ever more consumers wish to conserve natural resources when purchasing wood and paper products, and they value ethical forest management and wood processing. The non-governmental, not-for-profit Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) has formulated corresponding criteria expressing commitment to environmentally and socially responsible use of forests which is also economically viable

Benefits of FSC® certification

Based on successful Chain of Custody certification, wood can be clearly identified at all stages of processing and trading at all times.
You also profit from proof that you fulfil the requirements of an internationally recognised standard, and you can use the FSC® logo for communication and labelling.

This results in clear benefits for you and your partners on the market:
 

  • Our team of experts will issue approval for the logo or provide a proposal for correction within 24 hours of receiving your templates
  • Use of the well-recognised FSC® logo will demonstrate that you are a quality provider and raise you above non-certified competitors
  • You establish the prerequisites for adherence to EU regulations
  • You can acquire new groups of customers who consider the environment when making purchasing decisions

 

  • There is transparency of the flow of goods from forest to consumer
  • You gain credibility through certification to internationally-recognised standards
  • You demonstrate commitment to the environment and to ethical business practice
  • There is greater acceptance from customers and consumers in general who place a value on reliable proof of origin

 

FAQs

What challenges do organizations face with regard to wood?

Sustainability along the entire supply chain is a decisive criterion. This also includes protection of forests and of the people who are dependent on the forests, and of all workers involved along the chain, alongside aspects of nature conservation. As a company intending to import wood, cellulose or paper products into the EU, you must also demonstrate that your products only originate from legal or uncontroversial sources.

What are the costs for CoC certification?

The costs for the chain of custody certificate vary considerably according to the time spent by auditors on site. The time depends on the complexity of the processes and the size of the organization. Any outsourced critical processes also have to be included.

In addition to basic chain of custody certification, we can also offer certification to further FSC® standards, such as FSC® Controlled Wood or FSC® Recycling. The time needed for these is calculated in addition to the basic CoC audit time needed on site, and offers are always drawn up on an individual basis. In the case of multi-site certifications for a single organization we are able to minimise auditing costs for the individual sites by means of a sampling procedure. Small companies can make use of so-called group certification: through bundling of administrative tasks and of training in the hands of an independent certificate manager, and also through use of a sampling procedure for the audits performed by TÜV NORD CERT, costs are kept low and the procedure is extremely efficient. FSC® administration costs have to be paid by all certificate holders (Accreditation Administration Fee), and the amount depends on the turnover category of the certified organization. These fees are specified by FSC® International and collected by the certifier.

For whom is FSC® of interest?

This certification is suitable for:

  • Sawmills
  • Wood traders
  • Furniture manufacturers
  • Paper manufacturers
  • Publishing houses
  • Printers
  • DIY and building supplies stores and all other organizations who offer products from wood or wood fibre.
What are the prerequisites for FSC® certification?
  • No mixing of FSC® wood with wood outside the system
  • Evidence of quantities /stock control system for purchased, stored and sold FSC®-certified products
  • Adherence to the process description

Information for interested stakeholders

Do you already know about the FSC® participation process?

TÜV NORD CERT offers interested parties the opportunity to acquire information about current audit procedures of organizations who have applied for FSC® Controlled Wood certification according to FSC®-STD-40 005 V3-0. On this website you can find a download list with the current FSC® Controlled Wood audit procedures. We will be happy to receive your expression of interest as an affected party in one of the listed procedures and will then provide you with all the information required according to FSC®-STD-20 011 V3-0 (6) regarding the relevant case.
You can send us a contact form headed "FSC® Participation Procedure " stating the identification number of the procedure.
We handle information regarding the sender and the organization for whom you are acting, including all contact data, in complete confidence and it is only used for the purposes of the participation procedure. If you would like to provide us with information about the case in question within the framework of the participation procedure, please let us know if the information should be treated confidentially or if you agree to (possibly partial) publication within a summary of the procedure.

Overview of ongoing test methods according to FSC® Controlled Wood certification according to FSC®-STD-40 005 V3-1

Complaints and claims

Read about the complaint and claim procedure here

The way to the FSC® certificate

Our know-how for your success

With its comprehensive know-how, TÜV NORD CERT covers many different areas of certification. If you need certification according to several systems, this means that synergies can give rise to considerable cost savings. With a comprehensive global network of experienced FSC-auditors TÜV NORD CERT guarantees optimum fulfilment of your requirements at your chosen location. TÜV NORD CERT offers world wide FSC® COC certification.

Accredited by Assurance Services International (ASI) - Trademark Licence Code: FSC® A000529
 

We are looking forward to receive your enquiry for FSC®

Carsten KahlertTÜV NORD CERT GmbH

Tel.: +49 511 998-62532
Fax: +49 511 998-62899 7516
ckahlert@tuev-nord.de