Process
If you are interested in becoming FSC certified, there are 5 steps to follow. These steps are described below. If you want to find out more about specific requirements for forest management or chain of custody certification, please visit our document centre to read more.
Step 1
Contact FSC accredited certification bodies (and/or small business group schemes if appropriate) to request quotes
In order to provide you with an initial estimate of cost and time, the certification body will require some basic information about your operation. They will then provide you with information about the requirements for FSC certification. For a list of FSC accredited certification bodies, follow the "get certified" link below. You may qualify for inclusion in a group scheme, in which case it is a good idea to contact one or more (in addition to the certification bodies).
Step 2
Submit a certification application to the FSC certification body of your choice
Decide which certification body (or small business group scheme) you would like to work with and sign an agreement them.
Step 3
Ensure that an appropriate FM/CoC or CoC Management System is in place
This system must be in line with the requirements of the FSC Forest Management and/or Chain of Custody Standards.
Step 4
Undergo an on-site audit by your chosen certification body
An FSC certification audit will assess your company’s compliance with the relevant FSC requirements. An audit report is produced, on which the certification body makes a decision.
Step 5
Gain certification approval
Following a positive certification decision, you will receive an FSC certificate and your FSC certificate and license codes.
Promotional Licence
If you’re a retailer, media organisation, or educational institution, for example, you might not want or need to become certified, but may still want to promote FSC-labelled products or FSC certification as a framework. For these situations, we offer FSC Promotional Licence.