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• About the Certification
• Certification options
• Benefits of Certification
• Certified organisations
• Benchmarking with other standards

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About the Certification

Whether you are a small-scale forester or farmer or an international corporation sourcing commodities worldwide, Preferred by Nature Certification offers a solid foundation for your sustainability efforts.

A cornerstone of Preferred by Nature Certification is the Sustainability Framework, providing a comprehensive interpretation of sustainability.

The Preferred by Nature Certification is focused on performance and adaptability. Using a risk-based approach, we offer certification to all types of companies and land managers. Preferred by Nature Certification draws from several existing international sustainability schemes and aligns with applicable aspects of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

For companies seeking to enhance their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting, the Preferred by Nature Certification stands out as a valuable tool. It has been developed to capture a wide scope of core sustainability topics, contributing to comprehensive and credible ESG reporting.

>> Download our info sheet
>> Read our FAQs
>> Learn more about the Sustainability Framework
>> Access our Certification Service Guide
 

Certification options

Heads up foresters, farmers, supply chain companies or those involved in manufacturing and processing! Earning the Preferred by Nature Certification will put you right on track to achieve your sustainability goals. We continuously refine our Sustainability Framework through benchmarking against leading international standards. This helps us pinpoint differences and develop guidelines for businesses already certified under other sustainability programmes. Access the benchmarking results 

Learn more:

• Forest & farm manager Certification (including add-on options to forestry/agriculture certifications)
• Chain of Custody Certification 
• Due Diligence System Certification

Benefits of choosing the Preferred by Nature Certification

1. Comprehensive framework for sustainability practices, covering climate considerations 

• Clear performance-based requirements
• Harmonises existing sustainability requirements for various products
• Risk-based approach focusing on essential issues per product and supply chain
• Credible, transparent and impartial implementation

2. Adaptable all-in-one, result-oriented standard 

• Applicable to forestry, agriculture, and other sectors globally and used in land use certification and due diligence
• Suitable for all scales, commodities, and supply chain levels (land managers, producers, factories, mills, processors, traders, manufacturers, brands, retailers)
• Adapts to emerging markets and adjusts to new regulatory requirements, such as the EU Deforestation Regulation 
• Covers all critical sustainability aspects, including strong requirements for due diligence and comprehensive consideration of ESG criteria  
• Combines traditional sustainability issues with climate aspects for a holistic approach

3. Unlocking synergies with other certification schemes

• Benchmarked against major international forestry and agriculture standards such as the Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC™) Forest Management Standard and Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard: Farm Requirements
• Can be applied as an add-on to existing certifications, with limited additional work
• Integrates missing components into your regular audits, maximising efficiency & cost savings

4. EU Deforestation Regulation alignment

• Includes 46 indicators related to EUDR conformance, supporting Regulation-required risk assessments 
• Provides certificate for alignment with the Sustainability Framework EUDR indicators
• Certification against specific indicators from the Sustainability Framework: legality, deforestation and forest degradation
• Facilitates decision-making for operators and other actors in the supply chain
• Ensures smallholder inclusivity and empowerment
• Offers additional tools, such as Sourcing Hub and Due Diligence toolkit (supply chain mapping, risk assessment)

5. Communicating sustainability and carbon mitigation efforts using the Preferred by Nature Seal

• Validates sustainability excellence
• Can be used in supply chains and on final products depending on the conditions met
• Symbolises your commitment to people, nature and climate

Certified organisations

This comprehensive programme offers organisations a means to communicate their sustainability progress and gain recognition. Organisations have the flexibility to apply the programme to specific supply chains or their entire operation. The available claims can be adjusted to match the scope of their commitment.

>> Access our database of certified organisations 

Coming soon: Due Diligence Toolkit

Launching in January 2025, Preferred by Nature’s free, open-source Due Diligence Toolkit will provide practical tools to support responsible sourcing and regulatory alignment, including the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Designed to complement our Sustainability Framework, the toolkit includes step-by-step guidance, templates and resources to help businesses establish robust due diligence systems.

>>Join the waitlist