No false claims detected in African teak supply chains

The final results of the transaction verification (TV) loop on FSC-certified Afrormosia, also known as African Teak, show no instances of false claims between January – December 2022, which was the time frame considered for this TV loop. The volume mismatches that were found during the initial transaction data analysis (the first phase of the TV loop) were investigated and subsequently resolved.  

FSC and its assurance partner, Assurance Services International (ASI) launched the Afrormosia TV loop in 2023. Through this TV loop, ASI analyzed the trading data submitted by 172 certificate holders who belong to the global supply chain of FSC-certified Afrormosia (Pericopsis elata).  

As reported in May 2024, the first phase of the TV loop had revealed several high-risk mismatches. ASI had identified eight supply chain clusters for further investigation in the second phase of the TV loop – transaction investigation. ASI also included 12 certificate holders in the second phase who were not originally within the TV loop’s scope. The findings of the second phase of the TV loop show that most of the volume mismatches identified in the previous phase were caused by errors in the data submitted by certificate holders and their certification bodies.  

During the first phase of the TV loop, ASI had identified some certificate holders who reported zero purchase of certified material, yet they sold products with FSC claims. During the transaction investigation phase, ASI found that these certificate holders used stock acquired between 2008 and 2021 to cover the sales, thereby establishing that no false claims were made by these certificate holders. 

As a part of the transaction investigation phase, ASI also reviewed import documents and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) certificates maintained by relevant certificate holders. Since no false claims or fraudulent activities were detected in the second phase of the TV loop, ASI and FSC have concluded that the third phase of the TV loop is unnecessary.  

Background 

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) lists Afrormosia as an endangered African tree species, and it is prone to being logged illegally. 

FSC and ASI had received concerns from a number of stakeholders about possible integrity risks in the FSC-certified Afrormosia supply chain. In response, the Afrormosia TV loop was launched to examine trading patterns and the volume of timber that is harvested in FSC-certified forests and finally sold as finished products. While Cameroon and the Republic of Congo are the primary logging sites, Europe and North America are the main consumer markets of FSC-certified Afrormosia products such as flooring, and furniture items like cabinets.