If you are a processor of wood products from forests that have been certified to the AFS such as sawmill, treated timber products, poles, veneer, plywood, panels, board, LVL, wood chip, paper, the Chain of Custody Standard is the timber or wood based product tracking standard for YOU.

The Chain of Custody Standard or CoC Standard, as with the AFS, was developed by Australians for use in Australia by Australian timber and wood based products industries BUT it does have commonality with international CoC issues through AFS Limited's membership of and the AFCS's endorsement in 2004 under the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC).

As an Australian Standard® - AS 4707-2006 - the CoC Standard addresses ten subject areas which will provide a mechanism to track timber or forest products from a certified forest to an end user in the supply or value chain. It is really an inventory tracking and control system with essential management system requirements for an organisation in the timber and forest products supply chain.

An Amendment (Number 1) has been added to AS 4707-2006 in October 2007.  The Amendment covers changes to the requirements as outlined in Rulings 1 and 2; changes to the text to correct errors/mistakes and the addition of a new Appendix which addresses the avoidance of the procurement of raw material from controversial sources.

The version of AS 4707-2006 which can be downloaded from this page is the 2007 version which includes Amendment No. 1.  The Amendment No. 1 is also available as a stand alone document which can be downloaded for printing and addition to any hard copy version of AS 4707-2006. "

If you are a processor of wood products from forests that have been certified to the AFS such as sawmill, treated timber products, poles, veneer, plywood, panels, board, LVL, wood chip, paper, the Chain of Custody Standard is the timber or wood based product tracking standard for YOU.

Whilst the Chain of Custody Standard embodies the requirements which will be audited by a certification body to ensure a timber or forest product can be tracked to a certified forest, there is a need sometimes to provide for clarification on the intent of a requirement.

This can be done by the publication of Rulings which are interpretations of queries on requirements in the Chain of Custody Standard. The AFS Technical Committee undertakes a process to consider any queries on requirements put to it in regards to the Chain of Custody Standard, provide an interpretation to clarify the intent of the requirement without imposing extra requirements and provides this information in Rulings to the Chain of Custody Standard.

To see the Rulings to AS 4707-2006:

Go to the Documents Download centre for all up to date documentation

In order to achieve a whole chain of supply, each link in the chain must be certified to the CoC Standard by accredited certifiers if the ultimate consumer is to be rewarded with a product which can be tracked back to a certified forest. One end of the chain starts in the AFS certified forest or certified forests which AFS Limited recognises as being substantially equivalent to the AFCS and the chain ends at an ultimate consumer with examples being a sawmiller selling to a local market, a wholesaler selling to projects, a retailer selling furniture, a DIY store selling to the general public as consumers.

As with the AFS, the company's committee for the development of the CoC Standard, the Australian Forestry Standard Technical Committee drafted in 2003 and confirmed in 2006, the normative requirements for CoC within an Australian forest and timber products context but allowing for its compatibility with international CoC Standards.

AS 4707 2006 is an Australian Standard® that was recognised by Standards Australia on 8 September 2006 and was published on 8 November 2006. For information on the changes to the 2006 version of AS 4707 in comparison to the 2004 version.

TO SEE WHO IS CURRENTLY CERTIFIED IN AUSTRALIA UNDER AS 4708-2007,Go to the Documents Download centre .

If your organisation has achieved product certification to AS 4707-2006, AFS Limited provides access to labels and claims that your organisation can use to promote your products in the marketplace. You can find out more on the rules and fees covering the use of the AFS logo here and theuse of the PEFC logo here. If you are interested in applying for a licence to use the logos, you can download the application form Go to the Documents Download centre .

Go to the Documents Download centre for all up to date documentation