Principle 8: Monitoring and Assessment

The Organization* shall* demonstrate that, progress towards achieving the management objectives*, the impacts of management activities and the condition of the Management Unit*, are monitored and evaluated proportionate to the scale, intensity and risk* of management activities, in order to implement adaptive management*.

Criterion 8.1

The Organization* shall* monitor the implementation of its Management Plan*, including its policies and objectives*, its progress with the activities planned, and the achievement of its verifiable targets.

Indicator 8.1.1

Procedures are documented and executed for monitoring the implementation of the Management Plan* including its policies and management objectives and achievement of the verifiable targets.

Verifiers 8.1.1

a. Internal Procedures
b. Evidence on forest management plan implementation

Criterion 8.2

The Organization* shall* monitor and evaluate the environmental and social impacts of the activities carried out in the Management Unit*, and changes in its environmental condition. (C8.2 V4)

Indicator 8.2.1

The social and environmental impacts of management activities are monitored* consistent with Annex G.

Verifiers 8.2.1

a. Internal Procedures
b. Written evidence
c. Field visits

Indicator 8.2.2

Social impact of management activities is monitored* according to the Annex G provisions.

Verifiers 8.2.2

a. Internal Procedures
b. Written evidence
c. Field visits

Indicator 8.2.3

Changes in environmental conditions are monitored* consistent with Annex G.

Verifiers 8.2.3

a. Internal Procedures
b. Written evidence
c. Interviews in the field and in the office

Criterion 8.3

The Organization* shall* analyze the results of monitoring and evaluation and feed the outcomes of this analysis back into the planning process. (C8.4 V4)

Indicator 8.3.1

Adaptive management* procedures are implemented so that monitoring results feed into periodic updates to the planning process and the resulting management plan*.

Verifiers 8.3.1

a. Internal Procedures
b. Written evidence
c. Decisions of managers

Indicator 8.3.2

If monitoring results show non-conformities with the FSC Standard then management objectives*, verifiable targets* and/or management activities are revised.

Verifiers 8.3.2

a. Revised management plan
b. Decisions

Criterion 8.4

The Organization* shall* make publicly available a summary of the results of monitoring free of charge, excluding confidential information. (C8.5 V4)

Indicator 8.4.1

A summary of the monitoring results consistent with Annex G, in a format comprehensible to stakeholders including maps and excluding confidential information, is made publicly available at no cost.

Verifiers 8.4.1

a. Summary of monitoring procedures public available

Criterion 8.5

The Organization* shall* have and implement a tracking and tracing system proportionate to scale, intensity and risk* of its management activities, for demonstrating the source and volume in proportion to projected output for each year, of all products from the Management Unit* that are marketed as FSC certified. (C8.3 V4)

Indicator 8.5.1

A system is implemented to track and trace all products that are marketed as FSC certified.

Verifiers 8.5.1

a. Internal Procedures
b. Wood tracking system
c. Bills and transportation slips

Indicator 8.5.2

Information about all products sold is compiled and documented, including:
1. Common or scientific species name or identification code
2. Product name or description
3. Volume (or quantity) of product
4. Information to trace the material to the; the source of origin logging block
5. Logging date
6. If basic processing activities take place in the forest, the date and volume produced
7. Whether or not the material was sold as FSC certified

Verifiers 8.5.2

a. BVC
a. Register for evidence of timber movement (double-entry ledger)
b. Transportation slip
c. Records and evidence of certified material
d. Folder of harvesting unit

Indicator 8.5.3

Sales invoices are kept for a minimum of five years for all products sold with an FSC claim, which identify at a minimum, the following information:
1. Name and address of purchaser
2. The date of sale
3. Common or scientific species name or identification code
4. Product description
5. The volume (or quantity) sold
6. Certificate code
7. The FSC Claim “FSC 100%” identifying products sold as FSC certified

Verifiers 8.5.3

a. Register of archived documents
b. Accounting documents for the last 5 years