Responsible Wood, the National Governing Body for PEFC in Australia, has published the following statement from PEFC International. To support certified entities and certification bodies during the effects of COVID-19 worldwide, PEFC has produced guidance regarding auditing (chain of custody and sustainable forest management), and the transition to the 2020 standards. Source: Timberbiz
Due to the spread of COVID-19 worldwide, travel and medical restrictions are affecting auditing activities. In order to give some flexibility to certification bodies and certified companies affected by the disease, they have issued this guidance.
The main methods to ease the consequences of travel restrictions are the implementation of remote audits, and where this is not sufficient, the extension of time periods affecting the certificate.
Chain of custody audits
This guidance enters into force and can be applied by certification bodies from the day of its publication (10 March 2020) and is applicable until PEFC Council revokes the guidance.
This updated guidance – Version 4.3 – was released 14 April.
COVID-19: Auditing guidance for certification bodies and certified companies 120.38 KB
COVID-19: Auditing guidance for certification bodies and certified companies – tracked changes 123.27 KB
The document provides general procedures for the application of this guidance, as well as specific rules for initial and re-certification audits, surveillance audits and verification of corrective actions. It is based on IAF documents and the recently revised PEFC requirements for certification bodies operating chain of custody audits: PEFC ST 2003:2020.
The latest version (Version 4.3) provides an extension of timelines and a change to the preconditions for remote surveillance audits. See the tracked changes document for a detailed overview of all the changes.
Sustainable forest management audits
This guidance enters into force and can be applied by certification bodies from the day of its publication (9 April 2020) and is applicable until PEFC Council revokes the guidance. This updated guidance – Version 2 – was released 5 May.
COVID-19: SFM auditing guidance for certification bodies and certified companies 129.21 KB
The document provides general procedures for the application of this guidance, as well as specific rules for initial and re-certification audits, surveillance audits and internal monitoring programs for group organizations.
It is based on IAF Informative Document on the Management of Extraordinary Events or Circumstances Affecting ABs, CABs and Certified Organizations (IAF ID 3: 2011 – Issue 1) and IAF Mandatory Document for the Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Auditing/Assessment Purposes (IAF MD 4:2018 – Issue 2).
The latest version (Version 2) includes an extension to the validity of certificates and updated guidance regarding remote audits (initial, re-certification, surveillance and internal). It also specifies rules for managing non-conformities and the obligations for certification bodies to provide documented information as requested to PEFC Council.
