Certified Wood for the Furniture Industry

PEFC Chain of Custody Certification

Chain of custody is the process by which the source of a

forest product is verified. In order for products originating
from certified sources to be eligible to carry the PEFC
PEFC/16-1-1
logo, the certified timber or raw material must be tracked
from the forest through the supply chain.

For further information on PEFC Chain of Custody

PEFC UK Ltd
Certification visit the PEFC UK web site
Programme for the Endorsement
www.pefc.co.uk/chain_of_custody.shtml
of Forest Certification schemes.
PEFC has endorsed certification
schemes in more than 20 countries
on 4 continents.
For further details visit PEFC’s
international web site: www.pefc.org

PEFC UK Ltd
Jupiter House
Furniture photos courtesy of Krista Kimmo and Pledge Office Chairs.
High Street
Tattenhall
Cheshire CH3 9PX
Tel: 01829 770438
E-mail: info@pefc.co.uk
Web site: www.pefc.co.uk

Printed on PEFC certified paper by

Alphaprint (Colchester) Limited
PEFC/16-33-335
2-4 Challenge Way, Hythe Hill, Colchester CO1 2LY
Tel: 01206 795546 www.alphaprint.co.uk
Growing Demand for Sustainable Products
The demand for furniture manufactured from timber
or wood-based products which have derived from
well-managed sources is increasingly rapidly. In the
recent past it has been predominantly the ‘office
and contract’ sector along with those companies
wishing to enhance their
environmental reputations that have responded to this
Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes
PEFC is a global umbrella organisation for the
assessment and mutual recognition of national
forest certification schemes developed through a
multi-stakeholder process. This process respects
the principle of subsidiarity, which means that
although national schemes remain independent,
they co-operate with each other under the
PEFC umbrella. This ensures that the wood
products marketed under each scheme meet
equivalent standards and can therefore be traded
internationally under one label. The national
schemes build upon the inter-governmental
processes for the promotion of sustainable forest
management; a series of on-going mechanisms
and an outcome of the Rio Earth Summit, which
are supported by 149 governments in the world
covering 85% of the world’s forest area.

pressure positively.
Why choose PEFC Certification?
Those supplying Government Departments, large Currently, with over 210 million hectares under Chain of custody certification provides a means
certification, PEFC is the world’s largest resource of tracking timber from certified forest to the end
corporate companies, universities etc have for some
of certified wood from sustainably managed product. Specifying PEFC-certified timber will
time been under pressure to ensure timber used in the forests. Third party auditing to internationally provide you and your customers with assurances
recognised and globally respected certification that the timber you are buying originates from
manufacture of their products originates from sustainable processes, ensures that PEFC certification legal and sustainable sources.
provides a transparent system of forest inspection.
sources and that these credentials can be passed on by the implementation
of their own chain of custody systems. An increasing number of tenders for
What are the benefits of PEFC Certification?
furniture contracts now stipulate that the product must be certified by one of
l PEFC enables you to be confident in your wood Chain of Custody certification into your company’s
the major sustainable forest management certification schemes. sourcing quality management and control systems
l PEFC certification provides a fully audited and l PEFC certification enables your company to
This pressure is about to expand to all sectors of This is likely to be easier for those manufacturing verifiable supply chain from forest to end use gain access to tender markets by demonstrating
the furniture industry. The public and therefore from board materials as most of these are readily l Availability - with 210 million hectares under compliance with Government procurement
the retailers are becoming increasingly aware of available as certified. Those utilising more exotic certification, PEFC-certified wood is widely requirements
the need for sustainable procurement, especially hardwoods may face a bigger challenge. How- available. l PEFC certification is a practical demonstration
of wood products. This will inevitably lead to most ever, the sooner the industry begins to explore l PEFC certification provides you and your of your company’s corporate environmental and
companies in the furniture industry supply chain the governance and certified status of their timber customers with assurances that the wood used social responsibility by forming the foundation of
having to implement their own chain of custody. and wood-based raw material and components, originates from legal and sustainable sources a credible wood procurement policy
For most manufacturers or importers this may the sooner the industry can meet these pressures l PEFC certification reduces risk and can improve l PEFC certification provides access to the
be relatively simple, especially if their suppliers and become more sustainable. the internal efficiency of your business through internationally trademarked PEFC logo for both
are already providing evidence of sustainability. a wood flow accounting system by integrating on and off-product communications.