The Certificate Alphabet Soup
Every buyer asks about certificates. Not all are relevant to every order. Here is what each one actually covers.
ISO 9001
Quality management system. Baseline expectation for any supplier serving international brands.
FSC / PEFC
Responsible forestry paper chain-of-custody. Required if you want to print the FSC logo on packaging.
BSCI / SEDEX
Social compliance audits. Required by EU and North American retailers; covers labor, safety, and environmental practices.
SGS / Intertek Product Testing
Specific product tests: food contact (EU 1935/2004), REACH, drop tests. Product-specific, not factory-wide.
What to Actually Ask For
Don't collect certificates blindly. Ask for the latest audit report, scope of certification, and expiration date. A certificate without a matching report is not useful.
