Consultation Open 15 May 2026 – 15 June 2026 on revised Chain of Custody Standards

Final chance to have your say on FSC’s revised CoC standards!

Since mid-2023, FSC has been in the process of updating and streamlining the Chain of Custody (CoC) requirements and the corresponding accreditation standard for certification bodies which include:

1. FSC-STD-40-004 Chain of Custody Certification

2. FSC-STD-40-007 Sourcing reclaimed material for use in FSC Product Groups or FSC Certified Projects

3. FSC-STD-40-003 Chain of Custody Certification of Multiple Sites

4. FSC-PRO-40-003 Development of National Group Chain of Custody Eligibility Criteria

5. FSC-STD-20-011 Chain of Custody Evaluations

In late 2024, the first public consultation was held on the ‘Conceptual Phase Report’, which outlined the proposed direction of the CoC revision. In late 2025, the second public consultation was held, seeking feedback on the first draft (D1-0) of the revised CoC standards.  

The third (and final) public consultation is open from 15 May 2026 to 15 June 2026. We are seeking feedback on the second draft of the revised CoC standards (i.e. FSC-STD-40-004 V4-0 D2-0 and FSC-STD-20-011 V4-4 D2-0).  

Subject to the feedback received from this consultation, FSC is aiming to publish the final revised CoC standards on 1 January 2027, with an effective date of 1 July 2027 and an 18-month transitional period. This is therefore the last opportunity to share your views and shape the future of the CoC standards! 

How to participate

 You can participate in the consultation in English, Spanish or French via the links below.

• Participate in the consultation in English or Spanish
• Participate in the consultation in French

Please see the two-pager for guidance on how to participate in the consultation and provide your feedback.

To access supporting materials related to the consultation (including the two drafts, the consultation questions, the reports from the first and second consultation, CLR Risk Matrix), see the newly developed CoC Hub (coc.fsc.org). 

For more background information about the revision process, please visit the process page and the revision page on the FSC Connect webpage. 

Supporting webinars 

On Tuesday 19 May 2026 16:00 – 17:30 CET, FSC International will host an informative webinar in English, with simultaneous interpretation in Spanish and French. We will present the key proposed changes in Draft 2 of the revised CoC standards. Please register to attend (Meeting Registration – Zoom). This session will be recorded and subsequently uploaded to FSC’s YouTube channel.

On Tuesday 2 June 2026 09:00 – 10:30 CET, FSC International will conduct a Q&A session in English, with simultaneous interpretation in Spanish and French. In this session, we will respond to questions submitted in advance about Draft 2 of the revised CoC standards. This session will be recorded and subsequently uploaded to FSC’s YouTube channel. Please register to attend and submit your questions in advance via the links below.

• Register to attend the Q&A session on Zoom
• Submit your questions for the Q&A session on Draft 2 of the revised FSC Chain of Custody standards 

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact us at chainofcustody@fsc.org.