Give your feedback on the certification body requirements for sustainable forest management certification standard

3 November 2022 PEFC system news

PEFC invites stakeholders globally to give their feedback on ST 1004, Requirements for Certification Bodies operating Certification against PEFC Endorsed Forest Management Standards.

This vital benchmark standard is entering the last stage of its development, and now we need to hear from you. Give your comments, feedback, and suggestions, to help us ensure this standard meets your needs and expectations. 

To submit your comments, please fill in this form – you will immediately receive a link to the document and instructions on how to give your feedback.

The deadline for comments is 10 January 2023.

The standard

ST 1004 sets the requirements for certification bodies carrying out PEFC forest management certification. With this new standard, we are harmonizing the requirements for certification bodies, ensuring consistency in the implementation of PEFC sustainable forest management certification worldwide. 

It is the first of its kind: a hybrid between a Benchmark and International standard. It includes benchmark requirements to be further developed at national level by national members, and requirements that certification bodies shall directly implement. Doing so, we ensure consistency and harmonisation in implementation, while at the same time enabling adaption to local conditions. 

ST 1004 allows regional, national, and sub-national forest certification systems to decide whether their certification body requirements are defined as management certification (as per ISO/IEC 17021) or product certification (as per ISO/IEC17065). To ensure consistency, both approaches are used and implemented in a way to achieve the same effect in sustainable forest management.

To cover the requirements for Trees outside Forests (TOF) certification added in an Appendix to the PEFC ST 1003, Sustainable Forest Management, during its last revision, ST 1004 includes an Appendix with requirements for auditors conducting TOF audits. 

The standard also includes training requirements and will be followed by the development of a training programme for sustainable forest management. 

Public consultations

Public consultations are a vital part of the development process of our standards. They are when you get to read the draft, make your comments, and give direct feedback. Every comment made will get an answer.

Give your feedback

The consultation is open until 10 January 2023. Please fill in this form to receive the link to the document. 

If you have any queries, contact us at technical@pefc.org.