With FSC chain of custody certification from TÜV NORD CERT, you can create transparency and credibility along your supply chain. Upon request, we can extend the scope of the audit to include the FSC Regulatory Module – for secure implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
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With FSC® Chain of Custody (CoC) certification, your company can demonstrate that its wood, paper, and printed products originate from responsibly managed forests or other controlled sources. The certification ensures that certified materials remain clearly identifiable and traceable throughout the entire supply chain.
More and more customers expect the origin of wood and paper products they purchase to be transparent and responsible. The demand for resource-efficiently produced and clearly labeled materials is constantly increasing.
To provide reliable guidance, the non-governmental, non-profit Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) has developed comprehensive environmental, social, and economic criteria. These standards ensure that raw materials come from responsibly managed forests or other controlled sources and are processed correctly throughout the supply chain.
FSC® chain of custody certification is aimed at all companies that manufacture, process, or trade in wood and paper products and are committed to sustainable forestry. These include, among others
License information: www.fsc.org | License code: FSC® A000529
Successful product chain certification according to FSC® means that the wood used can be clearly identified at all stages of processing and trade.
At the same time, you benefit from proof of compliance with a globally recognized standard and can use the FSC® label to strengthen your corporate communications.
This gives you and your market partners clear advantages:
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) requires companies that sell within the EU or export from the EU to accurately trace the origin of their timber and rubber products and ensure that they have been sourced legally and without contributing to deforestation. This significantly increases the requirements for transparency and documentation. As a supplement to your FSC chain of custody certification, TÜV NORD offers the FSC® Regulatory Module (EUDR). It supports you in meeting the requirements of the EUDR. During the audit, we check whether your company has collected EUDR-relevant information, carried out a risk assessment and, if necessary, risk mitigation measures, and complied with the required due diligence obligations for the relevant products in your scope.
Position your company as a pioneer in sustainable forestry with FSC® certification. We conveniently integrate the additional module into your regular FSC audit. Just get in touch with us!
The costs for FSC® chain of custody certification are determined individually for each company, as they depend on the complexity of your processes and the size of your company. Key factors for determining costs include the number of your locations, your production or trading activities, and the variety of products you manufacture or offer.
In addition, FSC® administrative fees (AAF) are incurred, which depend on the company's turnover and are determined centrally by FSC® International.
You are welcome to request an individual quote in just a few steps using our quote form.
The basic requirement is that your company processes, labels, and documents FSC®-certified materials correctly. This includes implementing a chain of custody system and providing evidence of material separation and the correct use of FSC® claims. The specific requirements depend on the scope of your company.
Typical requirements include:
The duration depends on how well prepared your company is and how quickly all relevant information is available. After a successful audit, certification can be granted within a few weeks.
We also generally offer short-notice audit appointments.
The duration of the audit depends on the size, complexity, and activities of your company. Factors that influence this include:
For small or less complex companies, we usually schedule at least half a working day for the audit. Depending on the scope, the time required may be longer.
Once TÜV NORD CERT GmbH has issued you with the certificate with the official start date of validity, your company may offer FSC®-certified products in accordance with your scope of validity and use the corresponding claims.
Not usually. The requirements that apply depend on your activities and the scope of your company. Some requirements, such as certain control methods or requirements for multi-site structures, only apply if they are relevant to your company.
However, the FSC® core labor standards apply to all certified companies; their implementation may be easier for smaller businesses.
The specific scope of the audit also affects the duration and cost of the audit.
FSC® certification is carried out by TÜV NORD CERT as an independently accredited certification body. We check your processes, materials, and documentation in accordance with the applicable FSC® standards. We are accredited by Assurance Services International GmbH (ASI) – Trademark License Code: FSC® A0052.
For reasons of independence, we are not permitted to provide templates tailored to your company.
However, the FSC® rules and regulations and the FSC® website offer various guidelines (FSC-COC-kurz-erklaert.pdf), for instance on self-assessment of the FSC® core labor standards, service provider agreements (outsourcing), and the correct use of FSC® claims.
The FSC® has published the following statement on this matter on their German website: Die FSC-Marke im Kontext aktueller Gesetzgebung - FSC Deutschland
According to the FSC®, this means that the framework conditions have been created for companies to continue to comply with the relevant EU directive while using the FSC® trademark.
No. The FSC® Regulatory Module does not replace the legal requirements of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), such as the geolocation of cultivation areas or the mandatory due diligence declaration. However, it supports your company in recording EUDR-relevant information in a structured manner and creates additional transparency along the supply chain.
The EUDR will apply from December 30, 2026, to all companies that place timber or timber products on the EU market. Small and micro-enterprises will have an extended deadline until the end of June 2027 at the latest.
Are you already familiar with the FSC® participation procedure?
TÜV NORD CERT offers interested parties the opportunity to find out about ongoing audit procedures of organisations that have applied for FSC® Controlled Wood certification according to FSC®-STD-40 005 V3-0. On this website you will find a downloadable list of current FSC® Controlled Wood audit procedures. We would be pleased to receive your expression of interest as an affected party in one of the named procedures. We will then provide you with all the information required by FSC®-STD-20 011 V3-0 (6) about the case in question.
You can send us a message via the contact form using the keyword "FSC® participation procedure" and stating the procedure number.
All information about the sender and the organisation you speak for, including all contact details, will be treated confidentially by us and used exclusively for the implementation of this participation procedure. If you would like to send us information about the case in question as part of the participation procedure, please indicate whether you would like us to treat this information confidentially or whether you agree to it being published (in part, if applicable) in a summary of the participation procedure.
Currently, there are no ongoing certification procedures.
Overview of former FSC® Controlled Wood certification procedures according to FSC-STD-40 005 V3-1
TÜV NORD CERT is an internationally recognized testing and certification service provider. We assess and certify compliance with legal requirements and voluntary standards worldwide. Our auditors are experts in their field and work according to a uniform methodology. This enables us to guarantee neutrality, independence, and continuous support. TÜV NORD CERT offers FSC® CoC certification worldwide. Accredited by Assurance Services International GmbH (ASI) – Trademark License Code: FSC® A000529.