Attachment:
Application form for mutual recognition
Contents:
1.

Outline of SGEC certification scheme
1-1 SGEC as standardizing body
1-2 Operation and management of SGEC certification scheme
1-3 Certification bodies

2.

Relevant procedures
2-1 Standard Setting – Requirements
2-2 Certification and Accreditation Procedures
2-3 SGEC logos and labels procedures
2-4 Complaints and disputes procedures

3.

Procedures of SGEC standard settings and its record of processes (Development report)

4.

Principles, Indicators and Guidelines for SGEC Forest Management Certification(Requirements for Forest Management Certification)

5.

Requirements for group forest management certificate

6.

Guidelines for SGEC Chain of Custody Certification (Requirements for CoCCertification)

7.

Requirements for certification body8.

System requirement check list (PEFC IGD 1007-01:2012)

Appendix 1:
Document 1:

Statutes of SGEC

Document 2:

Operational Rules of FM and CoC certification
Attachment 2-1, 2-2, 2-2-1, 2-4, 2-8, 2-10, 2-10-3, 2-11, 2-11-1, 2-12,2-13 and 2-13-1

Document 3:

Requirements for FM certification
Attachment 3-1

Document 4:

Requirements for CoC certification
Attachment 4-1

Appendix 2: Procedures of SGEC standard settings and its record of processes (Developmentreport)
Appendix 3: System requirement check list (PEFC IGD 1007-01:2012)1

1.

Outline of SGEC certification scheme:
Under SGEC certification scheme, SGEC shall be standardizing body which shall makedecisions on standard settings as well as on certification business activities. The actual
certification services shall be conducted by the certification bodies which are the thirdparties and are publicly noticed by SGEC.

Summary of its scheme is as follows. The

relevant documents of SGEC scheme is attached herewith (Document 1 to 4).
1-1 SGEC as standardizing body:SGEC, as a registered association under the Act on General Incorporated Associationand General Incorporated Foundations, shall aim to develop a rich society throughsustainable forest management and effective use of wood products from SFM(Article 3 of the Statutes (Document 1)) with supreme decision-making body –General Meeting of Members and executing body – Board of Directors with auditors.
a） Objectives (Article 3 of the Statutes):
To develop a rich society based on a material cycle system and to contribute toconserve greenery rich natural environment through widely disseminating theconcept of sustainable forest management (SFM) and promoting effective use ofwood products from sustainably managed forests as well as upgrading the levelof forest conditions and enhancing forestry activities in Japan.
b） General Meeting of Members (Chapter 2 and 3 of the Statutes):
Members shall be individuals or groups who join the SGEC with endorsement of
the purpose of the SGEC (Article 6 of the Statutes) and General Meeting ofMembers shall have its authority stipulated in Article 16 of the Statutes.
c） Board of Directors (Chapter 4 and 5 of the Statutes)
The members of Board of Directors shall be elected by The General Meeting ofMembers, taking due consideration of wider and balanced participation from all
sectors/groups related, such as academia, industry and NPO/NGOs as well as
securing fairness, equity and openness principles. The Board of Directors shallhave its duties stipulated in Article 35 of the Statutes. Auditors shall audit theexecution of duties by Directors as stipulated in Article 27 of the Statutes.
1-2 Operation and management of SGEC certification scheme:
As to operation and management of SGEC certification scheme, SGEC as
standardizing body shall be responsible for overall certification scheme activities
including its standard settings development/amendment. The Operational Rules ofForest Management Certification and Forest Products Chain of Custody Certification(Document 2) shall stipulate the relevant principles such as forest management
certification (Chapter 3), certified products and chain of custody (Chapter 4) andcomplaints and corrective measures (Chapter 7). More detailed guidelines shall be2

stipulated in its Attachments.
1-3 Certification bodies:(1) Article 19 of the Operational Rules of Forest Management Certification and Forest
Products Chain of Custody Certification (Document 2) shall stipulate that certificationbody shall be an organization which has been acknowledged, by the accreditation bodywhich is a member of mutual recognition of IAF, as its conformity assessment
recognized within the scope of the SGEC is in conformity with the scope of theinternational product certification system requirements (ISO/IEC 17065). This
article shall ensure that SGEC certification services shall be conducted by the thirdparties with fairness and equity.

Article 19 above shall also stipulate that certificationbody shall be an organization registered as a corporation in Japan.
2.

Relevant procedures:
2-1 Standard Setting – Requirements shall be stipulated in Attachment 2-12 of theOperational Rules (Document 2)
2-2 Certification and Accreditation Procedures shall be stipulated in Attachment 2-13 ofthe Operational Rules (Document 2)
2-3 SGEC logos and labels procedures shall be stipulated in Attachment 2-1, 2-2 and
2-2-1 of the Operational Rules (Document 2)
2-4 Complaints and disputes procedures shall be stipulated in Attachment 2-11 and2-11-1 of the Operational Rules (Document 2)

3.

Procedures of SGEC standard settings and its record of processes (Development report)
shall be in Appendix 2.

4.

Principles, Indicators and Guidelines for SGEC Forest Management Certification(Requirements for Forest Management Certification) shall be based on the concept of theMontreal Process Criteria and Indicators’ framework where Japan is one of twelve
member countries as stipulated in Document 3 and its Attachment 3-1.

5.

Requirements for group forest management certificate shall be stipulated in Attachment
2-4 of the Operational Rules (Document 2)

6.

Guidelines for SGEC Chain of Custody Certification (Requirements for CoCCertification) shall be stipulated in Document 4 and its Attachment 4-1 and Attachment
2-8 of the Operational Rules (Document 2).

7.

Requirements for certification body shall be an organization which has been3

acknowledged, by the accreditation body which is a member of mutual recognition of IAF,
as its conformity assessment recognized within the scope of the SGEC is in conformity
with the scope of the international product certification system requirements (ISO/IEC17065) as stipulated in Article 19 of the Operational Rules (Document 2), its Attachment
2-10 and 2-13.
8.

System requirement check list (PEFC IGD 1007-01:2012) shall be in Appendix 3.

4