Incorporated into the draft standard are four sections of the FSC-STD-20-011 V4-0 Chain of Custody Evaluations draft standard related to verification requirements for certification bodies. This section describes the rules that certification bodies must abide by when conducting an audit, and can be reviewed at the same time as the draft FSC-STD-40-004 V3-0.
There are five main proposed changes in the revised draft of the FSC-STD-40-004 V3-0 Chain of Custody Certification standard detailed below.
- New transaction verification requirements are proposed that would allow certification bodies to verify FSC transactions between certificate holders. It is suggested that certificate holders would go through a risk assessment that will classify them as being part of either high-risk or low-risk supply chains. Those with a high-risk classification will be required to use the FSC Online Claims Platform (OCP), but for the majority of certificate holders, who would be classified as low-risk, the use of the OCP would be optional – although still recommended.
- A change to multi-site rules that allow multi-site certificate holders to share a) credit accounts and, b) percentage calculations across several sites.
- Refined credit system requirements, including clarifying credit accounting for assembled wood products, and an extension of the credit accounting period from 12 to 24 months.
- Reduce the threshold for FSC-labelled recycled wood products from 85 per cent to 70 per cent (same threshold as required for FSC Mix products).
- A merger of advice notes and standard interpretations will be incorporated into the standard.
TO SUBMIT COMMENTS
FSC is using a new web-based consultation platform to help stakeholders with their review of the standard and to collect comments.
Please take note of the following before using the consultation platform:
- While you can save, pause, and continue your review at any time, you will need to use the same device (computer/tablet) to do so.
- Once you register for access to the consultation platform, you will receive an email with a link to access the survey. Keep this email and link easily accessible to ensure you can continue working on your comments.
- Each comment must specify the exact reference to the standard to which the comment relates (e.g. clause number, page, section). Comments submitted without a reference will be discounted by FSC.
Access the consultation platform here.
JOIN OUR WEBINAR
To help walk through the changes, FSC Canada will host a webinar on August 12, 2016 from 11:00am-12:00pm EST. The webinar will include an introduction to the revised standard, a look at the main changes overall and highlight the changes between the second and third round of consultation, and lastly a walkthrough of the new consultation platform. Register here.
COMMENT TODAY
We encourage all Canadian stakeholders to share your opinions in this consultation process, for once this deadline has passed, the draft will be submitted to the FSC International Board of Directors final approval. This process is expected to take place in time for the November board meeting and, if approved, the new standard would be published on December 1, 2016 with an effective date of March 1, 2017. Current certificate holders would have one year to transition to the new standard.
To read more about the revision, please visit the FSC Canada webpage