Chain of Custody Certification

What is Chain-of-Custody Certification?

The chain-of-custody is the path which products take from the forest to the consumer, including all manufacturing, transformation and distribution links.

Chain-of-custody certification verifies that products from certified forests are not mixed with products from uncertified forests at any point in the supply chain.

Chain-of-custody certification assures your buyers and customers that the certified goods they buy are genuinely the products of a well-managed forest.

A secure chain-of-custody requires that certified products are identified, segregated and accompanied by appropriate documentation at all stages.

What is needed for Chain-of-Custody Certification?

During an assessment for a chain-of-custody certification the QUALIFOR assessors visit each site (see more) where products are manufactured, transformed, or distributed. At each point they check:

1 - Product identification

All products from certified forests are clearly marked as such.

There are documented procedures to control the marking of certified products.

2 - Product segregation

All products from certified forests are segregated from other products.

3 - Records

Records are maintained relating to purchase, delivery, shipment, receipt, forwarding and invoicing of certified products.

Documented procedures exist to control the record-keeping process.

Need more information on Chain-of-Custody Certification?

The following document contains more detailed information about the certification process. In order to view the document you will need Adobe Acrobat reader available from Adobe.

Please click here to view Chain of Custody Certificates.