When sustainability needs proof

Sustainability claims only go so far. For customers, regulators, and global supply chains, trust comes from independent verification.

Responsible Wood (RW) provides a certification program that helps Australian forest growers and processors demonstrate responsible forest management and chain of custody practices. More than 90% of Australia’s commercial production forests are certified under the Australian Forestry Standard / Responsible Wood certification program.

The challenge was growing expectations from customers and international markets for clear evidence that forest products were sourced responsibly, legally harvested, and originated from sustainably managed forests. Increasingly, businesses needed more than their own claims. They needed credible systems that could provide transparency and assurance across the supply chain.

To meet this need, industry developed Australian Standards for sustainable forest management and chain of custody, creating a framework to verify responsible practices and support market acceptance. The Australian Forestry Standard (AFS) Certification System, later renamed Responsible Wood, was established to provide independent certification against these standards.

JASANZ accreditation supports the credibility of the Responsible Wood certification system by assessing certification bodies against recognised accreditation criteria. This provides assurance that certification activities are carried out by competent, impartial organisations using consistent processes.

The result is a certification framework that helps Australian forest products demonstrate responsible practices, meet market expectations, and maintain access to domestic and international supply chains.