Verification of Supply Chain Certificate Validity and Scope Schedules
Verify certificate status against public scope schedules to ensure product group codes, grammages, and converting sites explicitly cover every delivered batch.
Multi-Site Scope Validation
Multi-Site Certification
Multi-site certification procedures verify that paperboard converting plants under a single group certificate maintain identical chain of custody controls. Multi-site scope validation is the systematic process of auditing a representative sample of these linked facilities to ensure that fiber sourcing claims are tracked consistently. This process governs the administrative expansion of group certificates, determining whether new locations can be added without auditing every single site.
It applies to large packaging manufacturers operating multiple converting facilities, warehouses, and distribution centers across different regions.
Audit Mechanics
Certifying bodies use statistical sampling to select which plants will receive an on-site audit each year. The audit begins at the central office, where the master database, product group definitions, and credit ledgers are evaluated for accuracy. Auditors then visit the selected branch locations to verify that physical receipt, storage, and billing of certified paperboard match the central records.
This step ensures that certified material is not mixed with non-certified stock during converting runs. If a single branch fails to meet the standard, the entire group certificate can be suspended, which places a heavy responsibility on the central management team to enforce strict compliance procedures.
System Efficiency
Centralized control allows packaging groups to reduce their certification costs while expanding their geographic reach. Rather than paying for individual certificates for each plant, they manage their environmental claims under a single, unified system. This method allows converters to supply certified cartons to national brands from multiple regional hubs.