What is PEFC?
The PEFC (Programme of Endorsement for Forest Certification Schemes) is the world's largest forest certification system. The PEFC, an international, non-governmental, non-profit organization, is a platform for the recognition of national certification schemes, and aims to promote sustainable forest management, through the adoption of good practices in the forest that ensure that wood, cork and other non-timber forest products are produced in accordance with the highest ethical, ecological and social standards.
PEFC CoC certification
Chain of Custody certification, in accordance with PEFC ST 2002:2020 - Chain of Custody of Forest and Tree Based Products – Requirements, ensures the traceability of the certified raw material, from the sustainably managed and PEFC certified forest to the consumer final product, ensuring that the wood/cork or other forest product included in the product or production line comes from certified forests.
It is applicable to any organization that operates in the chain of transformation and commercialization of forest-based products, and that intends to make a PEFC claim, conveying confidence that the products come from sustainably managed forests.
It is based on two basic methods, the physical separation or the percentage method, and can be applied by organizations that operate in a single place of activity or by organizations that operate in different locations, known as multisite certification.
As a means of allowing a group of small producers, located in the same country, to access chain of custody certification at low cost, group certification is possible within multisite certification.
With the revision of the standard, the implementation of the DDS system became mandatory for all inputs of forest-based material covered by the organization's chain of responsibility, with the exception of recycled material, and material from the species listed in Annexes I to III of the CITES Directive. The DDS system therefore aims to ensure the transparency of the flow of materials by providing information on origin and species at any point in the PEFC chain of responsibility.
A PEFC CoC certification applied to PEFC certified products gives rise to a certificate valid for 5 years and allows the use of the claim “PEFC certificate” in the sales documents of certified material, as well as the possible use of the PEFC mark on the products, which must be complied with the requirements of PEFC ST 2001:2008 - PEFC Logo Usage Rules – Requirements – expressed in the notification contract that is signed between the certified organization and the PEFC national representative. Once certified, the company is registered in the PEFC International database, opening up to new markets being promoted.
A PEFC CoC certification can also be applied to forest-based material from controlled sources, giving rise to a certificate valid for five years and allowing the use of the claim “PEFC controlled sources” in sales documents for material from controlled sources.
Certification by APCER
APCER was the first Portuguese certification body to be accredited by the Instituto Português de Acreditação (IPAC) and recognized in Portugal by the CFFP - Conselho da Fileira Florestal Portuguesa, for forestry and chain of custody certification in Portugal. It presents high technical knowledge of the Portuguese forest sector.
Find out more about PEFC CoC certification.
