forest certification in practice

Credible forest management (FM) certification is based on independent third-party assessments of the forest management according to well-recognized certification standards such as those developed by FSC or PEFC. 

Timber from FSC-  or PEFC-certified forests can be sold in the marketplace with the corresponding claims and labels. If the operation wishes to sell timber as certified, a chain of custody (COC) certificate is needed. Most often, the FM and COC assessments are carried out in a single process, and a combined FM/COC certificate is issued.

the certification process: 10 steps

A full forest management certification assessment consists of public stakeholder consultations, evaluation of documented performance, field visits to the forest and interviews with the operation's staff.

The exact process may vary according to the local conditions, and some variation in procedural requirements exists from country to country within the PEFC system. However, the certification process typically includes the following steps:

1. Initial contact: The operation contacts NEPCon and receives information enabling the managers to clarify its certification needs.
2. Application form: The operation fills in and submits the relevant application form.
3. Agreeement: Based on the information provided by the operation, NEPCon elaborates a financial offer for the certification process. If the operation agrees with the offer, a service agreement is elaborated and signed.

After finalizing the agreement, the operation may need some time to prepare for certification before the field evaluation takes place. At this stage, NEPCon offers to conduct an initial information meeting, which can help to clarify the certification requirements. Another option is to carry out a pre-assessment, which identifies weaknesses in the current management regime compared to the requirements of the applicable certification standards.

When the operation is ready, the main evaluation takes place:

4. Public consultation: NEPCon starts the public consultation process by notifying stakeholders at least 30 days prior to the field assessment.
5. Documentation: The operation provides all relevant documentation.
6. Field visit: NEPCon conducts a field visit to the operation. During the field visit, NEPCon's auditors perform further document reviews, interview relevant staff, and visit selected field sites. The duration of the visit and the size of the auditor team depends on the size and complexity of the operation.

7. Draft report: A report is prepared based on the findings from the field assessment, stakeholder comments, and comments made by the forest owner.
8. Professional report review: In the FSC system, the report is reviewed by an independent expert, and goes through a formalized internal quality check.
9. Report approval: The report is submitted for approval to the relevant accredited certification body - the Rainforest Alliance for FSC assessments and BMG Trada Certifiering AB for PEFC assessments.
10.  Certification: Based on NEPCon's report, the accredited organization will take the final certification decision. Based on a positive final evaluation, a certificate is issued. 

For operations undergoing FSC certification, NEPCon will issue and send a certification contract to the operation. When the company has signed and submitted the contract, it will receive the certificate, the final assessment report, a copy of the certification contract, and get access to the FSC online system for the use of the FSC trademarks. 

For operations undergoing PEFC certification, BMG Trada Certifiering AB will send the certificate and a certification decision document stating the conditions for maintaining the certificate. 

In case of non-compliance

When the assessor team finds a non-compliance with the applicable standards, a corrective action request (CAR) is issued. The FSC and PEFC systems both operate with these concepts, however the exact PEFC procedures for classifying and dealing with non-compliances may vary from country to country. 

The FSC system operates with two kinds of non-compliance and CARs - major or minor. Major CARs are issued in case of non-compliances which are so serious that they amount to violation of one or several certification criteria. The operation cannot become certified until all major CARs have been properly addressed by the operation and closed by the assessor team.
Minor CARs are issued based on identified minor non-compliances. Minor CARs shall typically be met prior to the annual audit, where the compliance will be verified.