The two green logos that are on most UK timber products are the PEFC and FSC logos. These logos assert that the timber is from a certifiably sustainable sourced timber supply. However, this is not the same, and these logos mean different things. Despite the significant differences, most timber merchants obscure this difference.
The Forest Stewardship Council, or FSC, is one of the more popular timber certifiers. They created the first international standard for responsible forestry in 1993. This means that any timber that has the FSC logo has undergone an independent FSC audit and meets the timber harvesting standards of the FSC, including a sustainable harvesting framework, ecological and personnel rights, and protective measures for indigenous and ecosystem rights. PEFC also has a similar scheme. Each piece of timber is certified through the “chain of custody” process that FSC created. Collectively, the member companies in the chain of custody process are certified to handle certified timber. This means that the company that used this timber in the flooring also has an FSC outlet.
The UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS) is the UK regulatory framework for the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). PEFC does not operate its own standards and global certification programs for forests and forest products. Instead, PEFC assesses the standards and certification programs of individual countries and approves those countries’ programs of forest and forest products certifications against PEFC’s international benchmarks. PEFC-certified timber is timber certified under the national schemes of the country of timber origin, which is country-specific and PEFC’s endorsement process.
What the practical difference is
All countries are obligated to follow their individual standards in certification programs based on their individual national standards in the certification process of forests and forest products, which is why the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certifications can be seen as universally more progressive and detailed than PEFC certifications. For example, there is more social and governance accountability in FSC certifications. In PEFC certifications, because of PEFC’s flexibility, some countries are thought not to meet or have a less stressful or lower focus of national standards than others, and this is the explanation for less social and governance accountability in less governance-centric countries. This critique of PEFC certifications is less focused and more vague than the critique of FSC certifications. This is more evident in the United States than in Europe, where the critiques of social accountability are typically more focused. The critiques of PEFC and FSC certifications are typically more evident than the critiques of FSC certifications.
With regards to timber used in residential construction and DIY products in the UK, the practical difference between the two schemes is less than the discussion about them might suggest. Independent third-party audits are required for both. Both require chain-of-custody certificates for all steps in the supply chain. Both are, to some degree, an improvement over uncertified timber, and timber with no verified origin.
What neither scheme addresses
Certification indicates that the forest was managed to some standard at the time of audit. It is impossible to say when that audit was done, how much time has elapsed since the audit, how the management of that forest has changed, and whether the particular batch of timber you are purchasing has been sourced from a certified area, or rather has been blended with uncertified material in the processing. Both schemes have a tolerance for the inclusion of some uncertified material in otherwise certified products — the percentage varies, so the logo does not guarantee that every plank came from a certified source.
The label provides further detail on the product’s certification status and whether it is 100% certified or contains mixed or recycled content. FSC Mix products contain some FSC-certified material and some controlled wood, which refers to timber that is not fully certified and meets only the legal requirements for the absence of illegal logging. This is NOT the same as 100% FSC certified. If provenance is important to you, do not assume that the logo designates it; look for the label that states 100% certification.
How to check certification claims
Both FSC and PEFC maintain public databases of certified companies. You can find the FSC certification database at info.fsc.org, and for PEFC, UK holders can access it at registration.pefc.co.uk. Inspecting a supplier’s certification status can help verify provenance, and they should provide you with their certificate number, which you can check in the database prior to placing an order.
For most domestic timber purchases — whether it be flooring, cladding, or decking —obtaining either FSC or PEFC certification is reasonable. It is better to ask for 100% certified products as opposed to Mix.