Forest Management Groups Standard
A way to achieve FSC Forest Management certification is by forming a group that brings together different forest management units under a single group entity using a similar set of rules and forest management practices.
Community and Family Work Area
To reduce certification costs, FSC certificate holders can form a group. Group certification makes it easier, particularly for small-scale, family and community forests, to become FSC-certified. It enables members to benefit from economies of scale, share costs, optimise administrative tasks, and strengthen their negotiation capacity.
Group certification is regulated by the standard FSC-STD-30-005, Forest Management Groups Standard, which was most recently updated in 2024.
Individual management units may face challenges related to the complexity and cost of certification. By joining a group, they can address these barriers collectively, spreading costs and responsibilities. Group certification also brings flexibility to adapt implementation to local realities and allows for the inclusion of forestry contractors under the group scheme.
Benefits of Group Certification
Who can be a member of a group?
Any type of management unit can be included in a group, including a community forest.
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Size
There is no limit to the size of the management unit. Handling units of different sizes can be put together in a group.
Location
Management units can be in different locations within a country, but can also be in different countries (special approval required).
Type of Management
- Natural forest, plantations, timber, non-timber products, etc.
- Contractors and/or service providers
The Forest Management Groups Standard
The Forest Management Groups Standard (FSC-STD-30-005) sets the requirements for group entities, the certificate holders, managing a group of forest management units under a single FSC certificate. This process is referred to as group certification.
You can access the latest version of the standard by clicking the button below. On the official FSC Document Centre, you will also find the accompanying FAQ for this standard.
Learn more about local group entities in your country by contacting your FSC Network Partner.
Groups Standard e-Training
To promote group certification and support prospective certificate holders, FSC offers an e-learning course on forest management groups, available in all three official FSC languages (English, Spanish, and French). The training reflects the V2-1 of the standard regulating these groups: FSC-STD-30-005 V2-1.
This free e-training presents interactive content in a format that is accessible and engaging for stakeholders at all levels of experience with FSC certification. While it primarily targets those with little or no prior knowledge of FSC, such as forest managers, forestry contractors, or new group members, it also serves as a useful refresher for more experienced stakeholders, including certificate holders and certification bodies.
Are you interested in learning more about the standard? Would you like to understand if group certification is right for you? Do you want to understand how to join a group and how roles and responsibilities are shared?
You can access the training in your preferred language below.
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