Wood Connect provides certification to the Responsible Wood Chain of Custody scheme.
WOOD CONNECT GROUP CHAIN OF CUSTODY
Increasingly, consumers are demanding that the wood products they buy are made from timber that can be traced back to a sustainable and legal source. The Wood Connect Chain of Custody system provides that assurance. It is a proven, simple, yet rigorous system that covers all steps in the supply chain.
The Wood Connect group chain of custody certification provides businesses with a value proposition for certification against AS4707, The Chain of Custody standard for Forest and Tree-Based Products. As part of a group scheme, the costs involved with certification are spread across the members of the groups, rather than each organisation having to develop a stand-alone certification system.
While other systems exist, the Wood Connect Group Chain of Custody system is a proven system based on the work of Fine Timber Tasmania that supported the Tasmanian forest and wood products industry over many years.
A proven system
PROVEN. RELIABLE. RECOGNISED.
PROVEN. RELIABLE. RECOGNISED.
THE CHAIN OF CUSTODY
Forest and Chain of Custody certification enable customers to make informed purchasing decisions. It assures them that the products has been sourced from a forest certified as sustainably managed in accordance with an internationally recognised legal framework that has been independently audited.
THE CHAIN OF CUSTODY INVOLVES:
- Licensees commit to only claiming certification on wood from forests certified to the Responsible Wood Certification Scheme -which is also recognised by Program for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC),
- Licensees are trained to use a documented approach to record-keeping and operating within the system requirements.
- Annual internal audits of the system ensure compliance with the documented standard.
- The Chain of Custody system is externally audited by an accredited certification body.
- Wood Connect is the owner/manager of the Chain of Custody system.
- The Chain of Custody system is independently audited to the Responsible Wood Certification Scheme on an annual basis by an accredited certification body, Global-Mark.
Wood Connect is the trading name for the group chain of custody system owned and managed by Brueckner Leech, consultants who have considerable experience in the design and management of both Chain of Custody, and forest management systems across Australia.
RESPONSIBLE WOOD
The Responsible Wood system is based on credible Australian standards developed under the robust Standards development process endorsed by Standards Australia.
PROGRAMME FOR ENDORSEMENT OF FOREST CERTIFICATION SCHEMES
This is a globally recognised standard under the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes, PEFC.
PROVEN. INTEGRITY. ORIGIN. VALUE.
PROVEN.
INTEGRITY.
ORIGIN.
VALUE.
THE BENEFITS
The Benefits of Certification
Being a licensee in the Wood Connect group chain of custody system enables you to
- Make certification claims
- Give customers a guarantee they are buying forest and wood products from a certified, legal, and sustainable source.
- Use the Responsible Wood and PEFC logos
Most Australian publicly owned forests, and some privately owned forests, are certified to the forest management standard AS/NZS4708:2021 for environmental, social, and economic sustainability. These forests are managed and harvested in accordance with State and Federal environmental regulations. Each link in the supply chain, from the forest to the retail market, is certified to the Chain of Custody system by an independent auditor.
WHO SHOULD JOIN THE CHAIN OF CUSTODY SYSTEM?
Businesses may include
- sawmills,
- veneer manufacturers,
- panel producers and engineered wood products,
- wholesalers and merchants,
- manufacturers of wooden furniture and other wooden products,
- designers/makers,
- printers and print brokers,
- fibre-based packaging production & distribution
- beekeepers and other producers of non-wood products from certified forests.
Any business that processes or sells wood-based products, including non-wood products from forests, and who wishes to demonstrate the environmental and social integrity of their products, should join the Wood Connect Chain of Custody system.
The Benefits of the Wood Connect Group Certificate
- The Wood Connect group certificate provides all the benefits of certification in a simple, pragmatic, and cost-effective solution in an off-the-shelf package.
- You are supported by an experienced team with help just a phone call away.
- All the certification costs are included in a single annual fee, with a small one-off fee payable upon application. This annual fee covers all your external certification costs.
- As part of the fee, we will provide an annual internal audit to ensure conformance with the standard and assist with continual improvement
- When compared to a stand-alone certification system the Wood Connect group certificate provides all the benefits without the up-front development costs or variability in running costs.
- The Wood Connect group provides access to markets that require certification locally and internationally
- We provide a system that can be easily integrated into your existing management system.
HOW TO APPLY
1. LICENSE APPLICATION
Any business in the wood products supply chain starts by applying for a License and paying a one-off application fee.
2. INDUCTION TRAINING & SYSTEMS AUDIT
Prior to being accepted, Training is provided and businesses must successfully complete an internal systems audit to ensure conformance.
3. AFTER A SUCCESSFUL AUDIT
Once a business has paid their annual licence fee and successfully completed a system audit, the Certification Body lists them on the group certificate and they are eligible to make a claim of certification for certified forest and wood products.
CONTACT
SYSTEM COORDINATOR
The coordinator is responsible for the implementation, maintenance and development of the Chain of Custody system that complies with AS 4707. The coordinator acts on behalf of the licensees.
