Services / FSC certification
FSC certification and chain of custody for wood and paper products
We prepare manufacturers, printers and traders for FSC chain of custody certification and arrange the audit with an accredited certification body, so you can sell FSC-labelled products.
From $2,000Consultancy and third-party certification
- Accredited by IAB and INTAQS
- Issuing certificates since 2004
- Online or on-site audits worldwide
- Verify any EUROTECH certificate
What FSC certification covers and what we deliver
The Forest Stewardship Council runs a certification system for responsibly managed forests and the products that come from them. There are two main types of certificate. Forest management certification applies to forest owners and managers. Chain of custody certification applies to companies that process, manufacture or trade forest products, such as sawmills, furniture makers, paper and packaging producers, printers and distributors.
Chain of custody certification makes sure FSC-certified material is tracked through each company in the supply chain, so a product sold with an FSC claim or label really contains the certified or controlled material it claims. Each certified company receives a certificate code that buyers can check in the public FSC database.
Most of our clients need chain of custody certification. Our role is to set up the system, train staff and arrange the audit with an accredited certification body.
- Scope definition: products, sites, processes and claims
- Choice of control system: transfer, percentage or credit
- Procedures for purchasing, material control, sales invoices and labelling
- Controlled wood due diligence where uncertified material is used
- Training of responsible staff and an internal audit before certification
- Arrangement of the audit with an accredited certification body
The standard also includes core labour requirements, such as no child labour, no forced labour, no discrimination and respect for freedom of association. Certified companies must commit to them and show how they are met.
Claims and labels: the options in plain terms
FSC products carry one of three main labels. FSC 100% means all material comes from FSC-certified forests. FSC Mix means the product contains a combination of FSC-certified material, recycled material and controlled wood. FSC Recycled means the product is made from reclaimed material.
How you calculate the claim depends on the control system you choose. The transfer system passes the lowest claim of the inputs to the output. The percentage system calculates the share of certified input over a claim period. The credit system lets you sell a quantity of output as FSC Mix based on certified input credits. The right choice depends on how you mix materials in production.
Using the FSC trademark, on products or in promotion, requires approval through your certification body. Using the logo without approval is one of the most common problems we see in uncertified companies.
Small companies with several sites, or groups of small businesses, may be able to use a multi-site or group certificate, which shares the cost of certification across members under one central system.
What decides the price
FSC consultancy with EUROTECH starts at $2,000. The final price depends on your number of employees, the complexity of your processes and the scope of certification.
- Number of sites and whether a multi-site or group certificate fits
- Processes: trading only, or processing and manufacturing
- Control system and number of product groups
- Controlled wood due diligence needed
- Outsourced processes such as printing or converting
FSC also charges an annual administration fee, collected through the certification body according to FSC rules.
Traders who never take physical possession of the material usually have the simplest systems, while manufacturers mixing several material categories need more set-up work.
How FSC certification works with us
Step 1
Baseline and data collection
We map your products, sites, suppliers and material flows and agree the scope.
Step 2
Policies and actions
We write the chain of custody procedures and choose the control system with you.
Step 3
Evidence and documentation
Records, claims and trademark use are checked in an internal audit before certification.
Step 4
Report and improvement
An accredited certification body audits you; we help close any findings.
Markets and timber regulations
We support companies in the USA, Europe, Asia and Africa. Demand for FSC comes mostly from buyers: retailers, brand owners, publishers and public procurement in many countries require or prefer FSC-certified paper, packaging and wood products.
Timber legality rules apply alongside FSC. The European Union's deforestation regulation sets due diligence obligations for operators placing wood products on the EU market, and the USA has rules against illegally sourced plant products. FSC certification helps with evidence, but it does not automatically meet these legal duties, so we point out where additional steps may be needed for your products.
Controlled wood risk depends on where the material comes from. FSC publishes risk assessments by country, which are used in the due diligence system.
Printers and packaging makers often receive requests from brand owners to print the FSC label on their packs. Each label use is approved through the certification body, so plan the approval step into your artwork process.
Recycled material has its own rules: pre-consumer and post-consumer reclaimed material must be verified from suppliers, and the auditor checks how you confirm what you receive.
What to expect from the certification audit
The audit is usually carried out on site, though small trading companies may sometimes be audited remotely under FSC rules. The auditor reviews your procedures, interviews the people responsible and follows FSC material from purchase invoices through production to sales invoices.
Expect a check of supplier certificates in the FSC database, material records and claim calculations for each product group, the wording of FSC claims on invoices and delivery documents, and any use of the FSC trademark. Staff are asked how they keep certified and non-certified material apart where that matters.
Outsourcing agreements are checked where a contractor processes your FSC material, for example a printer or a converter, since the material must stay under control while it is out of your hands.
Volume summaries are often requested: how much FSC material you bought and sold in each product group during the year. Keeping this data in your normal stock system, rather than rebuilding it before the audit, saves a lot of time.
Nonconformities must be closed within set deadlines. The certification decision is made by the certification body, and the certificate is published in the FSC database.
Keeping the certificate
FSC certificates are valid for five years, with annual surveillance audits. Keep supplier certificate checks current, because a supplier whose certificate is suspended can no longer supply you FSC material, and review claims and trademark use regularly.
FSC standards are revised from time to time, and certified companies must adopt new versions within the transition periods. We help you update procedures and training when changes come.
Train new staff in purchasing, production and sales on FSC rules before they handle certified orders.
Review trademark approvals whenever packaging artwork changes.
Keep training records for the people who make FSC claims.
How this service works: EUROTECH provides the consultancy. FSC certificates are issued by certification bodies accredited for FSC, which we work with.
Questions buyers ask
How much does FSC certification cost?
Our consultancy starts at $2,000. Sites, processes, control system, controlled wood and outsourcing set the final price. FSC administration fees are separate.
What is FSC chain of custody?
Certification that tracks FSC material through each company in the supply chain, so product claims and labels can be trusted.
Who issues the FSC certificate?
A certification body accredited for FSC. EUROTECH provides the consultancy and arranges the audit.
How long is an FSC certificate valid?
Five years, with annual surveillance audits.
Can we use the FSC logo before certification?
No. Use of the FSC trademark requires certification and approval through your certification body.
Does FSC certification meet the EU deforestation regulation?
It helps with evidence, but it does not automatically meet the legal due diligence obligations. Additional steps may be needed.
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Get a quote for FSC certification
Tell us your company, sites and the standard you need. We reply with a written quote and the audit plan.
Prefer to talk? Call +1 307 205 1833
Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 18:00 (US Mountain Time)