Portfolio Specification
Certified paper manufacturers must maintain an organized list of their products to demonstrate compliance with forest stewardship standards. The product group schedule compiles all paperboard grades, formats, and material mixes that the mill offers under its certification. This list must be updated regularly to ensure that any new product lines are covered before sales documents are issued.
Certification Audit
Third-party auditors review the documentation to verify that the raw materials used in each product match the claims on the sales invoices. Within this framework, the product group schedule dictates which control system, such as the credit system or percentage system, applies to each category of manufactured paperboard. This classification ensures that claims of recycled or certified content are backed by rigorous mass-balance calculations.
Operational Value
Sales and marketing departments utilize this document to confirm which products can carry certified labels when sold to packaging converters. Having a clear product group schedule streamlines the order-entry process and prevents the accidental sale of non-compliant materials under a certified claim. This transparency helps maintain the credibility of the company’s environmental claims in the marketplace.
It also simplifies the annual auditing process, as the field inspectors can quickly match the inventory on the warehouse floor with the approved product categories.
