FSC Advances Revision of Chain of Custody Standards — Consultation Underway; Trainings Planned for 2026

The revision covers key normative documents, including:

• FSC-STD-40-004 Chain of Custody Certification, and
• FSC-STD-20-011 Specific Requirements for Certification Bodies (CoC).  

Consultation and Stakeholder Engagement
A public consultation period on the first draft of the revised standards opened on 15 November 2025 and runs until 25 January 2026. During this period, stakeholders from across the supply chain are invited to review draft proposals and submit feedback on critical aspects such as FSC claims, group and multisite certification, reclaimed material handling, evaluation methodologies, and remote auditing practices.  

FSC has already hosted introductory webinars in November and December 2025 to explain the draft revisions and guide stakeholders on how to participate in the consultation process. These sessions included simultaneous translation in multiple languages and provided a forum for early questions and discussion. Records of sessions are available – in English – HERE.

One last option for a guided consultation is to attend the Q&A session on Zoom regarding draft 1 of the revised CoC standards on Tuesday 13 January 2026 13:00 - 14:00 CET. Register HERE.

Objectives of the Revision
The CoC revision aims to make standards that are clearer, more practical, and aligned with current industry practices, while strengthening system integrity and improving consistency in how certification bodies apply and evaluate requirements. Among the goals are streamlined requirements, enhanced risk-based approaches, and provisions that support implementation by small and medium-sized enterprises.  

Next Steps and Timeline
Following the consultation period, FSC will analyze stakeholder feedback and refine the standards further. The revised standards are expected to be published in January 2027 with an effective date targeted for July 2027, ushering in a unified transition for certificate holders.  

Capacity Building: Trainings in 2026
To support FSC certificate holders, auditors, and other supply chain actors in understanding Chain of Custody requirements, a series of targeted webinars will be offered throughout 2026.  

Details on registration and training schedules will be announced early next year, with a focus on ensuring broad accessibility across regions and languages.