PEFC COC Certification

PEFC, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, is a leading global alliance of national forest certification systems. As an international non-profit, non-governmental organization, we are dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management through independent third-party certification.

PEFC was founded in 1999 in response to the specific requirements of small- and family forest owners that had been unable to achieve forest certification through alternative certification systems.

In 2000, PEFC made its first endorsements of the national standards used by Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany and Austria. In 2004 it endorsed its first non-European national standards, used by Australia and Chile. As a consequence, PEFC changed its name from Pan European Forest Certification to Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes.