MTCS-PEFC Forest Management Certification (FMC)

MTCS-PEFC FMC audits conducted by SGS are third party audits of the forest management practices employed in a Forest Management Unit (FMU) or forest plantation in a Forest Plantation Management Unit (FPMU), to assess compliance with the schemes requirements. On completion of a successful audit applicants will be awarded a Certificate for Forest Management or Certificate for Forest Plantation Management.

The MTCS operates two schemes, one each for:

• Natural forest – Malaysian Criteria and Indicators for Forest Management Certification (Natural Forest), also known as MC&I (Natural Forest)
• Forest plantations – Malaysian Criteria and Indicators for Forest Management Certification (Forest Plantations), also known as MC&I (Forest Plantations)

Forest management certification assures buyers that timber comes from a forest that has been evaluated and certified as being managed according to the MTCS standards. This adds value to your forest and improves marketability of its timber.

Certification Process

There are six key stages to SGS’s MTCS-PEFC forest management certification process:

1. Formal application: When a forest owner/manager is ready to proceed with certification, they complete a formal application form and submit to SGS.
   
   
2. Initial audit (Stage 1): SGS will undertake a review of key management system processes and a sample of key management system processes and a sample of field operations, and provide a report that assists the forest owner/manager to identify and rectify any major areas of concern.
   
   
3. Certification audit (Stage 2): SGS evaluates the management of the forest against the requirements of the certification standard.
   
   
4. Certification: If the evaluation is positive, a certificate of registration will be issued.
   
   
5. Surveillance: SGS will check the certificate holder to ensure continued compliance with the certification Standard. We will check that any corrective actions the forest owner/manager was asked to carry out have been completed.
   
   
6. Recertification: SGS will periodically need to re-evaluate the management of the forest against the requirements of the certification standard.

About the MTCS

Developed and operated by the Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC), the MTCS is a third party audit scheme that provides for independent assessment of forest management practices, to ensure the sustainable management of Malaysia’s natural forest and forest plantations, as well as to meet the demand for certified timber products. It is endorsed by the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), the largest forest certification program, representing more than 200 million ha of certified forests worldwide. In addition, the MTCS is the first tropical timber certification scheme in the Asia Pacific region to be endorsed by the PEFC.

Why choose SGS?

SGS is an accredited Certification Body, appointed by the Department of Standards Malaysia (Standards Malaysia), for both the forest management and chain of custody certification programs.

Add value to your forest and timber with MTCS-PEFC Forest Management Certification, an independent assessment of forestry practices from SGS.