PEFC Trademarks

This standard covers the requirements for users of the PEFC trademarks (including both the PEFC logo and initials) to ensure their accurate, verifiable, relevant and non-misleading usage.

The current status of the standard

The PEFC General Assembly approved the revised standard on 17 January 2020. The standard entered into force 14 February 2020, replacing the previous version. There is now a transition period, after which all users of the standard will need to be in line with the latest requirements.

Please note, due to the COVID-19 situation and the EA evaluation, we extended the 18-month transition period by twelve months. The new transition date is 14 August 2022.

Are you a PEFC chain of custody certified company, and want to know how the 2020 PEFC Trademarks standard affects you? Then visit our website for more information.

A permanent working group continues the development of the PEFC chain of custody, maintaining the following standards:

• PEFC ST 2001, PEFC Trademarks
• PEFC ST 2002, PEFC Chain of Custody
• PEFC ST 2003, Certification Body Requirements – Chain of Custody 

This includes the further implementation and interpretation of these standards, the development of new tools, and ensuring the PEFC chain of custody is up-to-date regarding stakeholder needs, technology developments, and certification demands.

What changed in the last revision?

The new trademark standard, which replaced the PEFC Logo Usage Rules, strengthens the consistent use of PEFC trademarks worldwide, while also making it easier for consumers to understand what the PEFC logo stands for. 

Importantly, it requires companies to use the PEFC Label Generator, a free and easy to use online tool that enables the quick creation of PEFC trademarks, to ensure alignment with our requirements. 

Also, the trademark standard introduces the new claim “100% PEFC Origin”, which is only available for products that contain 100% material from PEFC-certified forests that has been physically separated from any non-certified wood a company may be using. 

While the new requirements make the use of our trademarks more robust, they also provide flexibility to PEFC trademarks users. The TM or R symbols are no longer be required alongside the PEFC logo or initials, and new label messages give non-certified companies, such as retailers, more options to communicate their commitment towards PEFC.

Find out more about the changes to our revised PEFC Trademarks standard:

Want to know more?

To provide you with more information about the changes to both the Chain of Custody and PEFC Trademarks standards, we held a series of webinars during the public consultations. You can listen to the recording of the first webinar and see the answers to the questions asked during the first two webinars: