Launch of birch plywood transaction verification loop

Assurance Services International (ASI), is launching a transaction verification (TV) loop on the FSC-certified supply chains of birch plywood. Birch plywood is a highly traded product worldwide.

ASI decided to conduct this investigation after receiving multiple allegations of non-certified birch plywood entering the FSC certified supply chains. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) supports this decision.

The first phase of this TV loop - data collection and analysis - will be conducted from September 2023 to March 2024. Initially, the data from 78 certificate holders will be collected, based in Australia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, New Zealand and Türkiye. Depending on the collected data, certificate holders in other countries may subsequently be asked to submit information about specific transactions. In addition to identifying potential false claims, ASI aims to trace the origin of FSC-certified birch with this TV loop.

ASI will collect transaction data from selected certificate holders with birch (Betula pendula, Betula pubescens and Betula spp) in their certificate scope. Certificate holders will be asked to report their transactions of birch plywood and products commonly used as raw materials for birch plywood production (i.e., roundwood, wood panels and veneer). Transactions between July 2022 to June 2023 will be examined in this TV loop.

After the TV data analysis, ASI will conduct the TV investigation into FSC-certified birch plywood supply chains that show signs of high risk.

In order to ensure that the integrity of FSC-certified birch plywood supply chains is not threatened by false claims and other fraudulent activities, ASI has decided to conduct an in-depth investigation. The results of this investigation will enable FSC to take strong action against any certificate holder found to be in violation of FSC's certification standards, including revoking the Trademark License Agreement to block the certificate holders – especially in cases where evidence of false claims is irrefutable.

To learn more about TV loops, click here.

This article was originally published by ASI, here.