ISO/IEC 17021:2015, 8.3.1 denies any possibility of a labelling of products by an enterprise which is certified (only) with its management system.
In contrast, the PEFC rules allow the use of the logo “on product” for forest owners (see PEFC ST 2001:2008 , 7.2.1 : „The PEFC Logo can be used on-product by a PEFC Logo user with valid PEFC Logo usage license for group B (forest owners and managers) and group C (forest related industries).“ This is also possible for the group members respectively members of the Regional Working Groups in Germany.
In practice, the mark of conformity is not placed on the wood coming from forests under PEFC management, but there is one possible exemption to be discussed: a sign marking the entrance of the forest under PEFC management as “This wood is different. Certified and managed based on the accepted PEFC standards. Please ask for wood and paper with the PEFC logo”. This statement is connected with the PEFC logo and the certification number. This can be interpreted as incorrect logo use.
September 2016
As far as the question is about the use of the phrase “This wood is different. Certified and managed based on the accepted PEFC standards. Please ask for wood and paper with the PEFC logo”, connected with the PEFC logo and the certification number (but no CB marks) as far as the mark of the CB is not used This statement is OK. There are no rules for the use of the Scheme owner marks (PEFC). The PEFC document was prepared in 2008 and revised in 2010 and “PEFC ST 2001:2008”, date of entry into force is 2010-11-26. As a scheme owner, PEFC marks are different to CBs Marks.
PEFC selected ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 as accreditation standard for “Sustainable Forest Manegement System” certification bodies. According to EA-1/22 requirements 3.5 and 3.6, the scheme owner shall not contradict or exclude any of requirements of ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 as EA MLA Level 3 standard.
EA-1/22:
“3.5 The conformity assessment process described or chosen by the SO shall fall within the scope of one of the EA MLA Level 3 standards (see EA-1/06).
3.6 Scheme specific requirements placed on CABs by the SO shall not contradict, or exclude, any of the requirements included in the standard referred t: o in 3.5.”
All the above mentioned considers that the PEFC logo is not a third party mark of conformity, cl. 3.1, in ISO 17030 (“Conformity assessment. General requirements for third-party marks of conformity applies”).
