Sustainable Forestry
Forest and tree-based product traceability community connecting sustainable forest management, chain of custody, certification, sourcing, and market claims data.
UNTP Implementation Status
-
Planned -
In-Progress -
Pilot -
Operational
The Sustainable Forestry community is anchored in the work of the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), a global alliance of national forest certification systems promoting sustainable forest management through certification.
PEFC supports responsible sourcing for forest and tree-based products by linking sustainable forest management certification with chain of custody certification. This helps organizations track material from certified forests through processing, manufacturing, distribution, brands, retailers, and public procurement, while supporting credible product claims and market access.
PEFC international standards and guides include benchmark requirements for sustainable forest management, group forest management certification, chain of custody, trademarks, certification body requirements, standard setting, and endorsement of national systems. PEFC states that its Chain of Custody standard establishes the link from forest to market and tracks forest and tree-based products from sustainable sources to final products.
Within a UNTP implementation context, this community can help forestry stakeholders map PEFC certificates, chain of custody data, certified material claims, organization identifiers, facility records, and sourcing declarations into interoperable credentials. This supports more consistent due diligence, clearer sustainability reporting, better procurement checks, and readiness for market expectations around deforestation risk and verified responsible sourcing.
Pilot Implementations
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Forest-to-Market Chain of Custody Pilot (2026):
Exchange PEFC chain of custody claims and product traceability data as UNTP-compatible records across forest owners, sawmills, converters, brands, and retailers.
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Certified Wood Project Sourcing Pilot (2026):
Test structured data exchange for construction and packaging projects using PEFC-certified wood, including certificate references, material inputs, supplier declarations, and claim verification.
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Deforestation Due Diligence Data Pack Pilot (2027):
Trial reusable credentials that combine PEFC certificate information, source documentation, geospatial references, and risk assessment evidence for importer, retailer, and regulator workflows.
Credential Extensions
| Name | Base Credential | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Forest Product Passport | UNTP Digital Product Passport | Draft |
| Chain of Custody Declaration | UNTP Digital Traceability Event | Draft |
| Certified Forest Management Record | UNTP Digital Facility Record | Planned |
Identifier Schemes
| Name | Scope | IDR Status |
|---|---|---|
| PEFC Certificate Number | Forest management and chain of custody certificates | In-progress |
| Global Location Number (GLN) | Facilities and trading locations | Candidate |
| Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) | Forest and tree-based product trade items | Candidate |
Conformity Schemes
| Name | CVC Status |
|---|---|
| PEFC Sustainable Forest Management, PEFC ST 1003 | In-progress |
| PEFC Chain of Custody, PEFC ST 2002 | In-progress |
| PEFC Trademarks Rules, PEFC ST 2001 | Candidate |
Software Systems
| Name | System Type | Issuing Status |
|---|---|---|
| PEFC Find Certified | Certificate holder and certified product discovery | Operational |
| PEFC Certification API | Certification data access service | Pilot |
| PEFC Label Generator | Trademark and label support | Operational |
Community Owner
Governance
Member-led forest certification governance built around PEFC-endorsed national systems, international benchmark standards, and independent certification. The community connects forest owners, supply-chain companies, brands, retailers, certification bodies, accreditation bodies, and national PEFC members.