Application
This unit of competency describes the outcomes required to develop and manage a system for chain of custody certification for wood and forest products.
This unit applies to job roles at senior management level across the full scope of forestry industry workplaces and to operations of all sizes.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory, or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENTS | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions. |
1. Confirm certification requirements | 1.1 Identify key requirements of relevant laws to confirm understanding and ensure consistency of interpretation and application to chain of custody requirements. 1.2 Clarify the relationship between chain of custody certification and forestry certification systems to ensure integration and compatibility of both systems. 1.3 Investigate each operational area for applicability to certification requirements under law and determine management system options. 1.4 Identify organisational requirements for traceability chain of documentation and all other required components. |
2. Develop chain of custody certification system | 2.1 Design all required components of certification system for effective and efficient operation and document all specifications. 2.2 Write a values statement, in consultation with senior managers, that outlines the organisation’s commitment to certification. 2.3 Develop policies and procedures for completing and maintaining required traceability chain documents. 2.4 Develop policies and procedures for meeting reporting requirements. 2.5 Develop policies and procedures for auditing processes and managing and documenting breaches. 2.6 Document a process for evaluating system effectiveness. 2.7 Prepare a chain of custody certification systems manual to compile all documents. 2.8 Request authorised external entities to review chain of custody certification system and make any necessary adjustments. |
3. Develop chain of custody certification system | 3.1 Develop an implementation plan and budget and allocate resources, roles and responsibilities. 3.2 Develop strategies for promoting a positive organisational culture at all employee levels to ensure certification system effectiveness. 3.3 Appoint internal auditors for chain of custody system and coordinate training. 3.4 Develop an induction and training process for auditors, system managers and operational personnel. 3.5 Consult with system managers to ensure effective implementation of certification system. 3.6 Prepare operational reports and those for identified compliance breaches and disseminate to relevant internal personnel and external certification authorities. |
4. Evaluate system | 4.1 Monitor and review operation of certification system in line with system and regulatory requirements. 4.2 Analyse audit and other operational data. 4.3 Consult with auditors and system managers to seek feedback on operational effectiveness of system. 4.4 Make required changes to system based on consultation and analysis. 4.5 Prepare reports on review of certification system in line with system and regulatory requirements. |
Evidence of Performance
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must satisfy all of the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit, and must be able to provide evidence that they can:
Investigate certification requirements for a given forestry industry organisation against:
Australian Standard (AS) 47072006 Chain of custody for certified wood and forest products
Forestry Stewardship Council standards.
Develop a chain of custody certification system to meet that organisation’s requirements incorporating the following system components and documents:
values statement
policies and procedures for completing and maintaining traceability chain documents
policies and procedures for auditing processes and managing and documenting breaches
process for evaluating system effectiveness
chain of custody certification systems manual
strategies for promoting a positive organisational culture for chain of custody certification
implementation plan and budget
an induction and training process for auditors, system managers and operational personnel.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person competent in this unit must be able to demonstrate knowledge of:
Purpose and key content and of the Illegal Logging Prohibition Act 2012 or superseding law.
Purpose and key content of forestry certification standards and systems:
Australian Standard (AS) 47072006 Chain of custody for certified wood and forest products
Forestry Stewardship Council.
How a chain of custody process fits into forestry certification systems.
Operational areas and organisational processes that are linked to certification requirements.
Purpose, common content of and format for all chain of custody system components and documents, including:
values statement
policies and procedures for completing and maintaining traceability chain documents
policies and procedures for auditing processes and managing and documenting breaches
process for evaluating system effectiveness
chain of custody certification systems manual.
Format, content and use of documents and register used for certification, audit and quality purposes, including:
timber source documents
processing records
quality records
numbering and labelling documents.
Strategies for promoting a positive organisational culture for chain of custody certification.
Internal audit processes, including:
purpose of internal audits
principles of auditing against a standard
role of internal auditors
requirements for and methods of responding to non-compliances and process improvements identified by audit.
Organisational and legal requirements for reporting incidents of non-compliance.
Format content and use of the following reports:
periodic reports on system operation
audit reports
reports on breaches of compliance.
Assessment Conditions
The following resources must be made available:
Computers, keyboards, printers and software used to prepare to prepare and maintain plans, policies, procedures and reports.
Documents, proformas and register commonly used for certification, quality, audit and reporting, including:
timber source documents
processing records
quality records
numbering and labelling documents.
periodic reports on system operation
audit reports
reports on breaches of compliance.
Australian Standard (AS) 47072006 Chain of custody for certified wood and forest products.
Forestry Stewardship Council certification documents.
Illegal Logging Prohibition Act 2012 or superseding law or plain English documents issued by the government regulator.
Competency is to be assessed in the workplace or a simulated environment that accurately reflects performance in a real workplace setting.
Assessor requirements
Assessors must:
Hold the appropriate assessor competency standards as outlined in regulations; and
be able to demonstrate vocational competencies at least to the level being assessed; and
be able to demonstrate how they are continuing to develop their VET knowledge and skills as well as maintaining their industry currency and assessor competence.
Foundation Skills
This section describes those core and employment skills that are essential to performance and are not explicit in the performance criteria. | |
Numeracy skills to: | Develop complex budgets for the implementation of certification systems across organisational operations. |
Oral communication skills to: | Provide clear and unambiguous information about certification requirements, policies and procedures to system managers. Hold high-level consultative discussions to generate feedback on certification systems and ideas for changes. |
Reading skills to: | Interpret complex and sometimes unfamiliar information to ensure compliance with chain of custody certification systems: laws or plain English equivalent documents Australian Standards audit reports. |
Writing skills to: | Develop and document comprehensive plans requiring complex language structures and precision of expression. Develop and document policies and procedures requiring the presentation of complex information, using simple language structures and precision of expression for use by the full scope of organisational employees. |
Planning and organising skills to: | Source, collect and organise a range of data to inform compliance activities. Plan and organise collection of all required information and manage own timing and productivity to design and implement certification systems. |
Technology skills to: | Use a computer, keyboard and software to prepare and maintain plans, policies, procedures and reports. |
Sectors
Common Technical