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For companies processing and trading in timber products, the PEFC Chain of Custody (CoC) certificate is the gateway to the market for sustainable forest products. Obtaining it requires the implementation of a documented management system that allows the origin of raw materials to be traced and verified at every stage of production and distribution. Below, we discuss the key requirements of the PEFC ST 2002:2020 standard.
The cornerstone of the PEFC CoC system is the choice of supply chain method, which determines how a company controls and documents the proportion of certified raw materials in its products.
Physical separation involves maintaining complete physical separation of PEFC-certified materials from non-certified materials at every stage – receipt, storage, production and dispatch. Products manufactured exclusively from PEFC-certified raw materials may be sold with full PEFC claims (100% PEFC). This method is conceptually simpler but requires rigorous organisation of material flows – particularly demanding in facilities where certified and non-certified raw materials are processed in parallel.
The percentage method allows for the mixing of certified and non-certified materials, provided that the proportion of each category is precisely tracked and documented. The PEFC claim may only be placed on the product if the proportion of certified materials exceeds a specified threshold (usually at least 70%). This method is more flexible in operational terms, but requires an efficient record-keeping system and regular stock-taking of materials.
The choice of method should be tailored to the specific nature of the company’s production and material flows. Both methods are equivalent from a certification perspective – auditors verify not so much the choice of method as the consistency of its application and the reliability of the documentation.
One of the distinguishing features of the PEFC system compared to other certification schemes is the requirement to implement a Due Diligence System (DDS), based on risk management techniques. CoC certification includes a DDS, which excludes the use of timber derived from deforestation or illegal logging and prohibits the use of genetically modified timber.
In practice, the DDS requires three things from a company. Firstly, gathering information on raw materials and their suppliers: the country and region of origin of the timber, the species, and the entity responsible for forest management. Secondly, risk assessment: verifying whether the information obtained indicates a risk that the raw material comes from controversial sources. Thirdly – risk mitigation: implementing measures to reduce the identified risk to an acceptable level, e.g. by requesting additional documentation from the supplier or cancelling the purchase.
The DDS must be documented and regularly reviewed. The new module of the PEFC ST 2002-1:2024 standard, published as part of the alignment with the requirements of the EUDR (on deforestation), extends the due diligence requirements – companies implementing certification after 2024 should take its requirements into account as early as the system development stage.
Documentation and records of materials. The standard requires detailed records to be kept of purchases and sales of certified raw materials and products, broken down by material category (PEFC-certified, recycled, from controlled sources). The company must be able to demonstrate a material balance – that the quantity of PEFC-certified products sold does not exceed the quantity of certified raw materials purchased. The material balance must be prepared at least once a year and retained for the period required by the standard.
PEFC statements on sales documents. A certified company may include PEFC statements on invoices, transport documents and warehouse dispatch notes. The content of the statement must comply with the requirements of the standard and refer to specific products and batches. Providing false or inaccurate PEFC statements constitutes a serious non-conformity, which is verified during every audit.
Use of the PEFC logo on products. The PEFC logo may only be placed on a product or its packaging under a licence granted by PEFC Poland and requires compliance with the technical and graphic requirements set out in the PEFC ST 2001:2020 standard. The logo may only be used in relation to products manufactured with an appropriate proportion of certified materials, and its use must be documented in the company’s record-keeping system on each occasion.
Preparing a company for certification can be made much more efficient thanks to comprehensive support with PEFC implementation, covering both documentation and audit preparation.
DJB DORADZTWO
Marcin Chorąży
