The Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is an independent non-profit NGO that promotes sustainably managed forests through independent third party certification.
The PEFC national forest certification systems represents over 230 million ha of certified forests and is the largest forest certification system in the world.
PEFC is the only international forest certification scheme that bases its criteria on internationally accepted intergovernmental conventions and guidelines thus linking its sustainability benchmark criteria with existing governmental rules. PEFC International is represented at the national level through local certification systems.
Once a forest is certified it is important to trace the products that come from it throughout the supply chain to ensure that any claims on the origin of the product are credible and verifiable. PEFC Chain of Custody (COC) is a tracking system that allows manufacturers and traders to demonstrate that timber comes from a forest that is responsibly managed in accordance with the PEFC principles and criteria. COC tracks the flow of certified wood through the supply chain and across borders through each successive stage including processing and manufacturing.
For more detailed information please see www.pefc.org
