Revision of FSC Chain of Custody Standards
FSC is currently undertaking a joint revision process to revise the following chain of custody standards (and associated procedures):
- FSC-STD-40-004 Chain of Custody Certification
- FSC-STD-40-007 Sourcing reclaimed material for use in FSC Product Groups or FSC Certified Projects
- FSC-STD-40-003 Chain of Custody Certification of Multiple Sites
- FSC-PRO-40-003 Development of National Group Chain of Custody Eligibility Criteria
- FSC-STD-20-011 Chain of Custody Evaluations
Conducting a joint revision of these normative documents helps streamline Chain of Custody requirements and would result in a one-off transition for the certificate holders and certification bodies.
Consultation open until 25 January 2026
FSC and working group members have now developed two draft revised Chain of Custody Standards which consolidate and update the above-listed standards. These are:
- FSC-STD-40-004 Chain of Custody Certification; and
- FSC-STD-20-011 Specific Requirements for Certification Bodies (CoC).
Consultation on the two drafts is now open until 25 January 2026. Participate today in English, Spanish or French through the Consultation Platform!
FSC will conduct two webinars with simultaneous translation in Spanish and French for stakeholders to learn more about the draft revised standards and how they can participate in the consultation. The first webinar took place on Tuesday, 18 November. You can access the recording below.
The second webinar will take place on Wednesday 3 December 2025 16:00 - 17:30 CET - register here.
For further details on the revision process and timeline, please visit the process page.
FSC-STD-20-011_V4-4_D1-0_ES_REQUISITOS_ESPECFICOS_PARA_LAS_ENTIDADES_DE_CERTIFICACIN_-_CADENA_DE_CUSTODIA.pdf
FSC-STD-20-011_V4-4_D1-0_FR_EXIGENCES_SPECIFIQUES_APPLICABLES_AUX_ORGANISMES_DE_CERTIFICATION_EN_MATIERE_DE_CHAINE_DE_CONTROLE.pdf
The 'why'
They key intended outcomes of the broader revision process are:
- the enhancement of risk-based approaches, which contemplate various dimensions of risk (e.g. activity, product type, geographical locations and species);
- revised requirements which address identified challenges for SMEs for maintenance and implementation of CoC requirements;
- the streamlining of CoC requirements, so they are concise, relevant and implementable by all stakeholders; and
- the alignment of CoC requirements with other FSC requirements and relevant legislation to support system integrity and maintain value of certification for stakeholders.
In keeping with the above, the specific revision objectives for each standard are outlined in the below graphic:
Terms of Reference and Working Group Structure
Background: The conceptual phase consultation
The consultation on the conceptual phase was open from 16 August 2024 until 15 October 2024. Topics included:
Overview of the conceptual phase consultation results:
