Certification Resources

FSC has an array of resources to help you navigate the certification process. The links below provide an overview, and more comprehensive materials can be downloaded from the document centre. Please consider subscribing to our newsletter for the latest updates from across the FSC system.

audit
Leu Fedarovich

COVID-19 Guidance for Certification Bodies

Given the recent developments around the global outbreak of COVID-19 and increasing travel restrictions, we have updated the derogation that allows certification bodies unable to conduct on-site audits to either postpone the audit or replace it with desk audits. Internal auditors of group and multi-site certificates will soon be given similar options.

FSC is aware that desk audits cannot fully replace on-site audits, but we see this derogation as justified in the current situation: Our priority is  to protect the health of staff of certification bodies and certificate holders, and to support global measures to minimize the spread of the virus. To mitigate the difference in audit intensity and enable us to monitor the situation, we are setting up additional reporting requirements for the CBs.

With the flexible audit options, we aim to assure certificate holders that they need not be concerned of losing their certification status because auditors and staff are unable to conduct on-site audits in these challenging times. 

Additional information can be found in the FSC derogation (FSC-DER-2020-001) and related interpretation. This derogation is valid to 31 December.

road
Forestry Newspaper

FSC forest management certification confirms that the forest is being managed in a way that preserves biological diversity and benefits the lives of local people and workers, while ensuring it sustainable economic viability.

sawntimber 4
Forestry Newspaper

FSC chain of custody certification provides credible confirmation for products with environmentally and socially responsible sources to access the market.

Chain of Custody certification is required to manufacturers, processors and traders of FSC certified products. The Chain of Custody certificate confirms that all products are made from raw materials originating from forests, where forest management is conducted responsibly and certified according to FSC requirements.

project cert
iStock.com

With more than 75,000 organizations holding FSC chain of custody certification, FSC is the leading sustainable forest management solution, providing the highest global assurance of supply chain integrity from forest to end user. FSC is not restricted to products on a store shelf, however. Your business has the opportunity to use the FSC trademarks to promote your projects! By complying with the FSC Standard for Project Certification, the projects you manage can be FSC-certified, allowing you to manage several projects in a continual basis or a one-time project certification, whichever is more convenient for you.

sawntimber 4
Forestry Newspaper

This is an area with relevant trademark resources for certification bodies. If you are a certification body, please log in. If you have forgotten your log in details, please contact us.

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Forestry Newspaper

Go deeper into our investigations and our work with organizations currently excluded from the FSC scheme, and those who have been re-admitted after taking remedial action.

SDG
Leu Fedarovich

Policies, Standards and Procedures are being developed or revised. Our development, review and revision process is comprehensive, transparent, inclusive and robust, aiming to promote stability and predictability with the FSC system.