Accounting Mechanism
Chain-of-custody accounting models that allow certified and uncertified materials to be mixed during production track the proportion of sustainable fiber through a balance of credits. Under the volume credit system, a paper mill can sell a specific quantity of product as certified, provided it has purchased a corresponding volume of certified wood input. This system does not require the physical separation of fibers during pulping or papermaking.
It provides a practical solution for continuous-flow mills where segregating fiber runs is economically unfeasible.
Compliance Claim
Mill operators register the incoming certified tonnage and convert it into virtual credits that are stored in an internal ledger. These credits are then applied to outgoing shipments of finished packaging board, allowing the mill to use the official certification labels. To prevent double-counting, each credit is permanently retired once it is assigned to a product batch.
Regular third-party audits verify that the total volume of certified paper sold does not exceed the volume of certified fiber received.
Market Operation
This mechanism helps packaging buyers meet their corporate sustainability targets even when direct physical tracking is unavailable. By utilizing the volume credit system, companies support sustainable forestry practices without incurring the extreme logistical costs of segregated supply chains.
