Chain of Custody Certification         »  Show SCS Certificate

Euroforest Products GmbH is FSC Chain of Custody ceritfied since May 20th, 2005 (Certificate number: SCS-COC-003282). The audit included the control of all relevant steps, due to the Chain of custody, for the production and distribution of products aus sawnwood und wooden articles. The audit range covers the following activities of Euroforest Products GmbH: "Purchasing, processing and sales of roundwood, sawnwood and wooden articles from hardwood".

→ What is "Chain of Custody" (CoC)?
Because of the internationally interconnected trade, any credible system of certification for wood-products has to supply transparancy and traceability for the entire value and prodution chain from producer to final customer. This product chain is called "chain of custody" (CoC). The client is ensured, by a company-focused CoC-certification, that wood is FSC-certified, if it originates from FSC-certified forestry. This is the only means to avoid misuse in an efficient way.

→ What is the FSC's job?
The FSC's goal is the preservation of forests. This target is to be achieved not only by protection by law, but especially by fostering responsible forestry. Strict criteria are set up, to guide forestry. They serve the purpose to avoid uncontrolled logging, violation of human rights and environmental stress.

→ How does the FSC protect the Forests ?
The FSC determined 10 mandatory priciples and criteria for good forestry. Forestry following these principles will lead to preserving the functions of the forest. In countries with national FSC working groups, these rules are adapted to national conditions, like e.g. climatic or geological frameworks of national laws. Since its foundation more than 51 million of hectars worldwide have been FSC certified. You can check on the whereabouts of these forest areas in the internet at www.certified-forests.org.

→ Control by independent third parties.
FSC authorized, independent third party certifying organizations conduct the control whether the FSC-principles are met. In case of conformity of the forestry, the owners of the forests are rewarded a certificate. Wood originating from a FSC-ceretified forest, can subsequently be labelled and promoted with an FSC-seal. Annually the FSC itself checks the certifying organizations, whether or not they conduct their work regarding the FSC standards.

→ What is the way from the forest to the FSC-product (FSC-Label) ?
Wood from FSC-certified forest is labelled with the FSC-seal. Products holding an FSC-seal frequently pass through a long chain of processes from forest to final customer, including seperate steps of trade and processing, the so called "Chain of custody" (COC). The FSC determined strict rules with respect to the processing of FSC-wood. Thes rules are ensuring that FSC-wood is always processed in a correct manner along this chain. Illegitimate mixing from doubtful sources (e.g. stolen wood) is prevented. Processing companies have to be FSC-certified as well. On an annual basis auditors check their respective incoming and outgoing streams, plus the production processes. Taking these chain of production certification as a means, the final customer has the chance to directly contribute to the improvement of the forests, by buying FSC-products.

→ Which requirements does FSC make regarding the product chain (Chain-of-custody) ?
Principle 1: Documented system of control.
Principle 2: Confirmation of goods received.
Principle 3: Seperation and/or marking of certified and uncertified goods received.
Principle 4: Safe labelling of products.
Principle 5: Identification of certified goods issued.
Principle 6: Accounting.

Further information is provided on FSC's German website:

  → FSC Germany Website

In addition, our wood supplier, the state forest of Bavaria, is holding the Pan European Forest-Certification PEFC. The PEFC-Zertifizierung stands for controlled, sustainable, and environment-oriented forestry.