The standards to be tested are the second drafts of FSC-STD-30-010 V3-0 Forest management requirements for Controlled Wood certification and FSC-STD-40-005 V3-0 Requirements for sourcing Controlled Wood. Also to be tested are the associated accreditation standards FSC-STD-20-012 V2-0 and FSC-STD-20-011 V2-0. The accreditation standards are used by FSC-accredited certification bodies when they audit organizations wishing to be certified according to the Controlled Wood standards.
Certification bodies were previously invited to submit proposals for field tests in different locations around the world. The chosen field tests are as follows:
GFA certification will field test FSC-STD-30-010 in cooperation with a certificate holder in Quảng Tri province, Vietnam, in September to October 2014.
SCS Global Services will field test FSC-STD-40-005 and the High Conservation Value field verification component of FSC-STD-30-010 with a cooperating certificate holder in Western Australia in September 2014.
Soil Association Woodmark will field test FSC-STD-30-010 and FSC-STD-40-005 with a cooperating certificate holder in Bihor County, Romania in October 2014.
The field tests will include consultation periods for local stakeholders to provide input on the applicability and impacts of the proposed standards.
Final outcomes of each field test will be contained in reports submitted by the certification bodies to the Policy and Standards Unit (PSU) of FSC International, and will include recommendations to the Controlled Wood Technical Committee and PSU for their consideration in the finalization of the field-tested standards.
FSC is a global, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of responsible forest management worldwide.
