New PEFC Project Sourcing standard: innovations driving responsible construction

25 November 2025 Sustainable construction

The new PEFC Project Sourcing standard is set to transform how organisations in the built environment demonstrate responsible sourcing. By offering greater flexibility, inclusivity, and transparency, the revised standard strengthens the link between sustainable forestry and construction - and is now open for public consultation until 23 December 2025.

Building on years of practical experience, the standard brings several innovations designed to meet the realities of today’s complex construction projects and global supply chains.

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A framework for complex projects

Jonathan Tibbits, Project Certification Lead at PEFC International, highlighted how construction is one of the most material-intensive industries in the world and what this means to those working in field.

“Developers and contractors increasingly need verifiable evidence that the materials they use are legally harvested and responsibly sourced. Project Sourcing certification provides a credible framework to manage this complexity and link sustainable forest management directly to the buildings we live and work in.”

Unlike traditional Chain of Custody certification, where one single organisation is responsible for sourcing the forest and tree based material for each product, the Project Sourcing standard offers flexibility for the reality of the built environment, where multiple actors participate in the sourcing, installation, and processing within a single project. It allows project teams to demonstrate responsible sourcing even when not every supplier or contractor is individually Chain of Custody certified, ensuring that PEFC-certified forest and tree-based materials can still be tracked and verified throughout the project.

“The finished construction projects we see every day are one of the most visible public links between a sustainable forest and a certified supply chain,” Jonathan added. “This standard helps make that link stronger, clearer, and easier to achieve.”

Key innovations: flexibility, visibility, and inclusivity

At the heart of the new standard are three major innovations that respond directly to stakeholder needs. The first is multi-project certification, which allows organisations to manage multiple projects under one certification system.

“This reduces duplication and unnecessary costs,” explained Jonathan. “It reflects the reality that most construction companies don’t just build one thing and stop - they’re constantly designing, sourcing, and building. This approach makes certification far more efficient.”

The second innovation introduces the concept of applicant projects. This allows organisations to communicate their verified commitment to responsible sourcing during construction, not only after completion.

“With this new concept, organisations can share that they have a verified management system in place - even while a project is still being built,” said Huong Maggi, Certification Programme Officer at PEFC International. “It’s particularly valuable for large, long-term construction projects where sustainability communication matters from the very start.”

Finally, the standard strengthens accessibility for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through a group certification model.

“We wanted to ensure certification is practical and inclusive,” said Marta Martínez Pardo, Certification Programme Senior Manager. “Smaller companies can now join shared management systems coordinated through a central office. This opens doors for more organisations to demonstrate responsible sourcing, no matter their size or resources.”

A bridge to green building systems

Another key benefit of the new PEFC Project Sourcing standard is its strong alignment with internationally recognised green building frameworks such as LEED, BREEAM, and DGNB.

“Project Sourcing certification serves as a bridge between sustainable forestry and the built environment,” said Jonathan. “It supports information gathering for responsible sourcing credits, and source disclosure - helping construction professionals meet sustainability reporting requirements with confidence.”

Through its focus on transparency, traceability, and collaboration, the standard positions PEFC certification as a powerful tool for the climate-positive construction movement. It ensures that claims of sustainability in building projects are not just marketing statements, but are verified by independent, third-party auditing.

“At its core, Project Sourcing certification is about assurance,” said Jonathan. “It verifies that every certified project - whether a skyscraper, a school, or a public park - is contributing to a more sustainable built environment.”

Take part in the consultation

The public consultation on the PEFC Project Sourcing standard and the accompanying Requirements for Certification Bodies is open until 23 December 2025. Built environment professionals, certification experts, and all interested stakeholders are invited to review the draft and share their feedback.

Fill out this form to get access to the standards for feedback.

Find out more

To support understanding of the proposed changes, PEFC will host information webinars next month. A session for organisations affected by the Project Sourcing requirements will take place on 1 December, while certification bodies are invited to a dedicated session on 15 December. These webinars will explain key updates and how the revised framework will be implemented in practice.