FSC Chain of Custody auditing

The chapter presents auditing standards and techniques for the assessment of Chain of Custody (COC) according to FSC standards. Since just an overview of the main requirements is provided, it is advisable to make reference to official normative references when approaching audit activities. After listing the key documents to be used as references for COC auditing, specific auditor qualification requirements are presented. Then requirements for COC auditing are presented in detail, distinguishing them into COC evaluation at forest management level and COC evaluation as a separate assessment. The chapter aslo summarises the main requirements for auditing against specific requirements, i.e. against complementary COC standards. The chapter is then completed by requirements for COC audit reports and certification decision that provide specific indications on non-compliances and their classification, as well as by additional information regarding surveillance audits