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The Chain of Custody Standard (AS 4707-2006) is an inventory control system that tracks the pathway that forest products take from a Defined Forest Area (DFA) or stated source to the final consumer. It was created to allow labelling of wood products and assure the customer that the product they receive has been produced from sustainably managed forests.

South East Fibre Exports P/L (SEFE) is committed to Chain of Custody (CoC) certification and is guided by a number of principles identified within the Standard that provide the necessary support to meet the requirements of such a system.

These principles include:

1. CoC certification is complementary to both SEFE’s Environmental Management System (EMS) certified to ISO 14001:2004 and Forest Management Plan that is certified to Australian Forestry Standard AS 4708-2007 (AFS). It indicates to SEFE customers that the product that has been purchased comes from well-managed sustainable forests;
2. The CoC system is used to track forest products to meet the certification needs of all organisations along the certification chain such as forest managers and owners, sawmills, wood based panel mills, pulp and paper mills, converters, publishers, printers, wholesalers retailers, buyers groups, customers, and the community at large. SEFE is one small part in the chain.
3. SEFE has appointed an accredited, independent, third-party certification body that is responsible for the verification and auditing of the performance requirements of SEFE’s CoC system.  Independent auditors play an important role in safeguarding SEFE’s CoC system credibility
4. SEFE is responsible for ensuring the credibility of the CoC system as part of the day to day business activities that affect the outcomes of the CoC system; and  
5. Continual improvement is the basis for the AFS forest management certification and it will be the basis for the CoC system so as to ensure that the criteria and requirements are regularly reviewed and revised to incorporate changes that will improve their effectiveness.

The Chain of Custody (CoC) standard for certified wood and forest products(AS 4707-2006) is a standard that complements both SEFE’s EMS and AFS.

SEFE obtained EMS certification in August 2004 and AFS certification in September 2006.  The estate that is certified to AFS includes SEFE owned plantations (including areas established under Joint Venture Agreements) as well as the native forest that is associated with them. 

This AFS certification currently applies to less than 5% of wood received at the gate. Harvesting and delivery occurs sporadically i.e. when it is convenient or timely for SEFE to harvest our plantations.

The majority of wood received by SEFE is obtained from land managed by both Vic Forests and Forests NSW (for 2007 44 % of log intake has come from Forests NSW and 47% from Vic Forests) with the remainder coming from private property.  Both these agencies achieved certification to the AFS in December 2006.

The only other intake received by SEFE comes from residue chips from various sawmills throughout NSW and Victoria. SEFE is working with these suppliers to encourage them to also receive certification through the Chain of Custody standard.

As such, now that the State Government Agencies have achieved AFS certification, over 90% of the wood received through SEFE’s gate is certified.

SEFE ensures that no wood received at the mill door is from illegal operations or sources within the certification chain.  Through Wood Supply Agreements with Government agencies from supply the majority of SEFE’s product, there is commitment from them that the wood is legally obtained under the relevant legislation.

For product received that comes from non-certified sources, SEFE will not accept it unless there is an accompanying permit that has been approved through the relevant authority or through self-declaration.