PEFC chain of custody certificates issued against previous 2013 standard soon to be invalid

20 July 2023 PEFC system news

Important reminder for companies still certified against the 2013 version of the PEFC Chain of Custody standard, or certification bodies issuing PEFC chain of custody certificates: any certificates issued against the 2013 version will no longer be valid as of 14 November 2023.

Chain of custody certified companies

If you are a company still certified against the 2013 standard, please reach out to your certification body for assistance or to organise your next audit against the 2020 standard. It is important to note that the transition to the new version does not impact the certification cycle, so it can happen during a surveillance audit.

Find more information on how to move to the latest standard

If you still have existing stocks of products and printed material covered by a 2013 chain of custody certificate and carrying the PEFC trademarks according to the previous 2008 Trademarks standard, you can still sell them once you have transferred your chain of custody system to the 2020 version of both these standards.

You will gain access to the new Label Generator, which produces labels in line with the 2020 Trademarks standard, once you have signed the PEFC trademarks licence agreement contract or have accepted the new amendments.

For companies using the credit method, if you have credits under the 2013 certificate, from the moment you get certified against the 2020 version, the credits can last longer than 12 months, up to 24 months (or longer).

Certification bodies

If you are aware that you have client organisations still certified to the 2013 standard, please reach out to them as soon as possible to make the necessary arrangements for a smooth transition by 14 November 2023.