Chain of Custody (Lumber Certification)
Chain of custody (CoC) is the documented tracking system that follows certified wood from the certified forest through every stage of processing, manufacturing, and distribution to the end buyer. CoC certification ensures that products labeled as FSC or SFI certified actually contain material from certified sources. Every company in the supply chain must hold CoC certification.
In-Depth Explanation
Chain of custody is the backbone of credible forest certification because without it, there is no way to verify that the wood in a finished product actually came from a certified forest. The CoC standard requires every entity that takes ownership of the wood — sawmill, lumber distributor, manufacturer, retailer — to maintain records that segregate certified material from non-certified material and document the flow from input to output. CoC-certified companies undergo annual audits to verify compliance. The practical implementation varies: some companies physically segregate certified lumber in separate storage areas with clear labeling, while others use percentage-based systems where a verified percentage of their input is certified and an equivalent percentage of output can carry the certified label. For construction projects seeking green building credits for certified wood, the general contractor must collect CoC certificates and invoices from every supplier documenting the chain from forest to jobsite. This documentation requirement makes CoC the most administratively demanding aspect of using certified lumber. --- **Certification disclaimer:** FSC certification applies only to products and supply chains specifically certified under the applicable FSC program. References to FSC-certified products on Lumberama do not mean that Lumberama itself is FSC certified, or that all products, suppliers, or materials listed on Lumberama are FSC certified. Verify certification and availability for the specific product and supplier before purchase.
Usage Example
The project manager collected chain-of-custody certificates from every lumber supplier to document that 62 percent of the wood in the building was from certified sources.