Forestry resources

Guidance, templates and resources for forestry certification, including information on requirements, how to prepare for inspections and how to stay compliant.

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          A forest floor with tree trunks, grass, moss and the sun peeking through distant trees
          Certification clients

          Log into the forestry portal

          Forestry clients can use the forestry portal to submit trademark approval requests, respond to amends, view request history and keep records for audits.

          Useful external sites

          FSC document centre

          FSC document centre

          Access all FSC international standards, policies and guidelines.

          Browse documents
          FSC brand hub

          FSC brand hub

          The FSC brand hub is designed to make it easier for you to access FSC marks and marketing assets.

          Open brand hub
          PEFC standards and guides

          PEFC standards and guides

          Access all PEFC international standards, policies and guidelines.

          View standards

          General resources

          Our forestry profile

          Our forestry profile

          View our IP-GEN-001 profile for Soil Association Certification Ltd.

          View document
          Forestry certification decisions

          Forestry certification decisions

          Download our IP-GEN-003 certification decisions document.

          View document
          Use of FSC and PEFC trademarks

          Use of FSC and PEFC trademarks

          Read our guide on how to use the trademarks (IP-GEN-007).

          View guide
          Trademark use management system guide

          Trademark use management system guide

          IP-GEN-008 guidance for FSC® Trademark Use Management System (TUMS).

          View guide

          Contracts

          Information on the rights and duties of applicants or certificate holders is contained within our standard contracts, linked below in different languages:

          (20-001 1.10.1.d)

          Chain of Custody resources

          Guidance for applicants

          Guidance for applicants

          IP-COC-001 guidance for Chain of Custody applicants.

          View document
          Group and multisite guidance

          Group and multisite guidance

          IP-COC-004 group and multisite chain of custody guidance.

          View document
          Sourcing FSC controlled wood

          Sourcing FSC controlled wood

          IP-CW-COC-001 guidance on sourcing FSC controlled wood.

          View document
          EUDR guidance

          EUDR guidance

          IP-EUDR-COC-001-01 Chain of Custody EUDR guidance.

          View document

          Due Diligence System duties

          IP-DDS-002-06 Due Diligence System duties, responsibilities and subcontracting.

          View document
          FSC core labour requirements

          FSC core labour requirements

          IP-COC-008-01 FSC core labour requirements self assessment template.

          View document
          Template

          FSC core labour outsourcer assessment report template

          Updated 18 May 2026

          This template can help FSC certificate holders to conduct first or second party audits on-site to their contractors.

          • Forestry (FSC/PEFC)
          Download (1.16 MB)

          Material accounting record (example)

          IP-COC-005-04 example of a material accounting record.

          View document

          Forest management audit reports

          All of our forest management audit reports are made publicly available once a certificate has been granted.

          FSC forest management reports

          FSC forest management reports

          FSC forest management reports are available via the public certificate search (select SA in the Certification Body field).

          Visit
          PEFC forest management reports

          PEFC forest management reports

          PEFC forest management reports are available via our SharePoint folder.

          View reports

          Forest management resources

          International certification procedures

          IP-FM-001 international forest management certification procedures.

          View document

          UK certification procedures

          IP-FM-002 UK forest management certification procedures.

          View document

          International group certification procedures

          IP-FM-003 international forest management group certification procedures.

          View document

          UK group certification procedures

          IP-FM-004 procedures for UK group forest management certification.

          View document

          Consultation policy and guidelines

          IP-FM-006 Soil Association Certification consultation policy and guidelines.

          View document

          SLIMF international certification procedures

          IP-FM-201 small and low intensity managed forests (SLIMF) international certification procedures.

          View document

          FSC pesticides policy

          FSC's pesticides policy outlines their commitment to ensure that the use of hazardous pesticides in FSC-certified forests is reduced and eliminated.

          Visit

          Forest management standards

          Soil Association Certification generic forestry standard

          The ST FM 001 07 Woodmark Generic Standard has been designed for us worldwide in FSC forest management evaluations where there is no existing FSC accredited national standard.

          View document

          Soil Association Certification group standard

          This standard is the basis for forest management group certification by Soil Association Certification (ST FM 301 09).

          View document

          Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP) standard and checklist

          This standard is designed to ensure that non-timber forest products are managed to optimise social, environmental and economic sustainability (ST FM 401 02).

          View document

          Contact the team

          Take the first step in getting your forest certified. Our Certification teams work in regions around the world. We have issued certificates in over 60 countries, working with trained agents and auditors in each.
          0117 914 2435
          Forestry Team
          Soil Association Certification
          Spear House
          51 Victoria Street
          Bristol
          BS1 6AD
          United Kingdom

          Next steps

          Appeals and complaints

          We take all appeals and complaints seriously and investigate them fairly. Read our procedure to learn more.

          Case studies

          Discover some of the forests, businesses and groups we've worked with to achieve forestry certification.

          Contact us

          We’ve certified millions of hectares of sustainable forest all over the world. Find out how to work with us.