PEFC Certification Explained

What is PEFC?

The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is the world's largest forest certification system by certified area. It provides assurance that timber and wood-based products come from sustainably managed forests.

Unlike FSC, which operates a single global standard, PEFC works as an umbrella framework that endorses national forest certification schemes. Each country develops its own standard within the PEFC framework, adapted to local forestry practices, legislation, and ecology.

Examples include the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) in North America, the Australian Forestry Standard (AFS), and the UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS).

The result is the same for specifiers: a PEFC chain of custody certificate traces timber from a certified forest through every processing step to the final product.

PEFC vs FSC

PEFC and FSC are the two major forest certification schemes in construction. They share the same core objective - responsible forest management - but differ in structure and market position.

Topic	Detail
Coverage	PEFC certifies approximately 300 million hectares of forest globally, compared to around 160 million for FSC. PEFC has stronger coverage in Europe, particularly in Scandinavia, Germany, and Austria. FSC is more dominant in tropical forests and in the UK specification market.
Structure	FSC sets one global standard. PEFC endorses national schemes that meet its sustainability benchmarks. This makes PEFC more adaptable to local conditions but means the standard varies by country.
Stakeholder model	FSC uses a three-chamber system (environmental, social, economic) with equal voting weight. PEFC uses a multi-stakeholder approach where national governing bodies set the balance.
Market recognition	FSC is more widely specified in UK construction, partly because BREEAM has historically awarded more credit for FSC. However, BREEAM now accepts PEFC chain of custody for Mat 03 responsible sourcing credits.
Mutual recognition	PEFC and FSC do not recognise each other's certificates. A product cannot carry both labels unless it is independently certified under both schemes.

Note. For most UK construction projects, both PEFC and FSC chain of custody provide adequate assurance of responsible sourcing. The choice between them often depends on the supply chain - Scandinavian and Central European timber is more commonly PEFC certified, while tropical and some UK timber tends to be FSC certified.

The PEFC labels

PEFC uses a labelling system similar to FSC, with claims that indicate the proportion of certified material in the product.

PEFC Certified

Sustainably managed sources

At least 70% of the material comes from PEFC-certified forests. The remaining content must meet controlled sources requirements.

PEFC Recycled

Reclaimed or recycled

Made from at least 70% recycled material. Reduces demand on virgin forest resources.

Chain of custody: how it works

Chain of custody (CoC) certification is the mechanism that connects a certified forest to a finished product. Every company that takes ownership of the timber - from sawmill to manufacturer to distributor - must hold its own PEFC CoC certificate.

This means the certificate number on a product traces back through a chain of audited companies to a certified forest. Each link in the chain is independently assessed by an accredited certification body.

There are two chain of custody methods: physical separation (certified and non-certified material are kept apart throughout processing) and percentage-based (certified material is tracked by volume through the production process, with a minimum 70% threshold for the PEFC label).

PEFC chain of custody

1
Forest
Certified source
2
Processing
Primary conversion
3
Manufacturing
Product creation
4
Distribution
Certified supply
5
End user
Verified product

Tip. When checking a PEFC claim, the most useful piece of information is the CoC certificate number. This can be looked up on the PEFC website to confirm it is valid and covers the product type you are specifying.

How to verify PEFC claims

Verifying a PEFC claim follows the same logic as any certification check: find the certificate number, look it up in the public registry, and confirm the scope matches the product.

1.Find the PEFC licence code

Every PEFC-certified company has a unique licence number. Look for it on product labels or delivery documentation.

2.Verify on the PEFC database

Check the code at pefc.org/find-certified to confirm it is current and valid.

3.Confirm product scope

The certificate should cover the specific product type you are procuring, not just the company's operations.

4.Check validity dates

PEFC certificates are reviewed annually. Make sure the certificate is current.

5.Request chain-of-custody documentation

Ask the supplier for their CoC certificate if it is not already listed on their profile.

When to specify PEFC

PEFC chain of custody is appropriate whenever you are specifying timber or wood-based products and want assurance of responsible forest management.

Topic	Detail
Structural timber	softwood from Scandinavian and Central European forests is commonly PEFC certified
Engineered wood products	glulam, CLT, and LVL from certified producers
Panel products	plywood, OSB, and MDF from certified supply chains
Joinery and finishes	doors, windows, flooring, and cladding from certified manufacturers

Note. On Matera, PEFC-certified products are identified by the PEFC certification badge on the supplier profile or material listing. Verified certifications carry a green checkmark; unverified claims are labelled accordingly.