Once timber is felled from a certified forest CoC is required at every stage from sawmill to manufacturing plant to retailer to prove that the product being purchased is from a ‘legal and sustainable source’.

Each stage of the chain is inspected and certified by independent certification bodies. A forest or woodland owner will require forest certification status to market certified produce but does not necessarily need to hold CoC, however the buyer of the standing timber will require this to sell the timber on as a certified product.