The UK FSC Risk Assessment will replace the existing UK Controlled Wood Risk Assessment and act as a key document within the FSC EUDR support tools framework, including the voluntary Regulatory Module.
The UK FSC Risk Assessment is for use by companies to amend and update their due diligence systems for FSC Controlled Wood sourced from the UK and, if applicable, to meet the requirements of the FSC Regulatory Module. Going forward, it is envisaged that it can also be used in support of EUDR declarations where exporting into the EU.
The Risk Assessment is based on a the recently revised FSC Risk Assessment Framework, which requires the risks associated with 64 indicators, ranging from corruption risk, identification and protection of high conservation value sites through to Health & Safety for workers to be assessed for each country. Full details on the FSC Risk Assessment process and associated documents are available here: FSC Risk Assessments.
The UK is included in the first tranche of 20 countries where this new FSC Risk Assessment (RA) is being applied. The UK FSC RA is being undertaken by independent consultants, Preferred by Nature, working for FSC International. The UK process has so far passed through the following stages:
- Evidence gathering
- Consultation Draft
- Public Consultation
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those certificate holders and other stakeholders who participated in the recent public consultation.
Following analysis of the feedback, the consultants working for FSC have undertaken further soundings/advice from technical experts/stakeholders and it is expected that the UK FSC RA will be published in April or May 2026 following consideration by FSC International.
It should be noted that in line with Requirements for Sourcing FSC Controlled Wood Standard (FSC-STD-40-005), Clause 3.2 “The organization shall adapt its Due Diligence System (DDS) to use FSC risk assessments within six (6) months of the date of FSC risk assessment approval by FSC, unless an extension is justified and approved by the certification body”. So, FSC Chain of Custody (CoC) certificate holders will have 6 months from the publication date of any applicable Risk Assessment to adapt/review their Due Diligence Systems.
Where to find FSC Risk Assessments
Some 20 countries are presently developing their FSC RA and over the next few years the process will be rolled out across all countries involved in FSC controlled wood. As of January 2026, two countries, Romania and Austria), have had their new FSC RA published. These Risk Assessment documents can be found on the Document Centre and the new FSC Risk Hub, which has been designed specifically to present completed FSC RA’s in an easily accessible and useable form for businesses. We recommend that CoC certificate holders using controlled wood familiarise themselves with the risk hub.
As new Country risk assessments are produced these will be added to the FSC Risk Hub and Document Centre. As stated above, businesses purchasing control wood or products containing controlled wood from those countries will be required to update their due diligence systems within six months of the publication of the relevant FSC RA, unless an extension is agreed with their auditing Certification Body.
When the UK FSC RA is published, the key points regarding the content and use of the UK FSC RA will be published our website and in Forest Matters, our monthly newsletter.