Chain of Custody
Traceability and Chain of Custody Certification
About the certification
Friend of the Earth Traceability and Chain of Custody Certification assesses the controls that connect products to their certified agricultural or farming origin. It follows the identity of materials through the activities included in the assessment, from supply and processing to packing and distribution.
For ingredient suppliers, processors and end brands, the assessment establishes which products and activities are covered. Certification of a source farm or supplier does not automatically extend to every finished product made from its materials.
What can be certified
Ingredients, processed products and finished retail products from agricultural and farming supply chains can be submitted for scope review. Examples include rice, bottled olive oil, canned tomatoes, cocoa ingredients and chocolate, milk and cheese, and land-based nutraceutical ingredients and supplements.
The proposed scope identifies the products and materials to be traced, together with the activities and sites involved. Applicable source certification must be established alongside the chain-of-custody assessment. A traceable material is not necessarily a certified material.
Who can apply: Processors, food and supplement manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, encapsulators, bottling and packing businesses, importers, exporters, distributors and end brands can apply for scope review. Include contracted manufacturing or packing activities where they form part of the proposed supply chain.
What the standard covers
The Friend of the Earth Traceability Standard establishes key chain-of-custody requirements to ensure certified origins connect reliably to final products.
Each product and lot must have a unique identity that connects it to the relevant records.
A specific traceability system must demonstrate conformity and prevent mixing with non-certified products.
Records must identify the producer and the relevant certification audit reference, providing evidence of the product’s origin.
Employees maintaining the chain of custody must receive training and refresher instruction at least once a year.
The organisation must check the operation of its traceability system at least annually.
A product recall or withdrawal procedure must be established and tested at least once a year.
The audit includes a test at the beginning and end of one or more finished-product lots. Mass balances, invoices, delivery documents and other relevant records must substantiate origin and conformity.
From certified materials to products on the shelf
The supply chain can include several businesses before a product reaches the customer. Tomatoes may be processed and canned; cocoa may become an ingredient in chocolate; a botanical ingredient may be extracted, encapsulated and packed as a supplement. The agreed scope determines which materials and activities are assessed.
For a finished retail product, the evidence must connect the relevant material to the product sold under the brand. Where certification covers a specific ingredient or component, the authorised wording must identify it clearly.
Land-Based Nutraceuticals Certification provides a dedicated application category for botanical ingredients and finished supplements. Chain-of-custody controls support that route alongside the requirements applicable to the source ingredient.
Independent certification
An independent certification body evaluates the agreed scope against the applicable requirements and makes the certification decision. The evidence reviewed reflects the activities performed by the applicant and the supply chain included in the assessment.
A brand using a contract manufacturer should identify the relevant products, suppliers and production arrangements. Supplier certification does not transfer permission to use the Friend of the Earth logo to the brand.
How certification works
1 Apply. Submit the Preliminary Information Form for Traceability with the products and supply-chain activities you want assessed.
2 Confirm scope and costs. Agree the products, materials and sites to be included, the applicable source and traceability requirements, and the quotation.
3 Complete the independent audit. Provide the sourcing and traceability records, procedures and operational evidence needed for the assessment.
4 Address findings. Complete the corrections and corrective actions required following the audit.
5 Receive the certification decision. The certification body reviews the findings and decides whether certification can be issued.
6 Maintain certification. Continue meeting the requirements and complete the applicable follow-up and renewal activities.
Use of the Friend of the Earth label requires authorisation for the products concerned. Packaging and accompanying claims must follow the applicable label rules.
Certification fees
Consult the published price list and request a quotation for your proposed scope. The linked list covers annual logo royalties for new contracts; audit costs are excluded and quoted separately. VAT is added where applicable. Confirm the applicable fees with the team before proceeding.
Standards and supporting documents
Supporting documents
The team confirms the source standards and any additional documents applicable to the products in your agreed scope.
Check certification status
Check the named product or ingredient, certificate holder, approved scope and current status. A certified supplier or company listing does not establish that every product it sells is covered.
Frequently asked questions
Source certification addresses the requirements applicable to the origin of the material, such as the farm. Chain of custody addresses how that material’s identity is maintained through the assessed supply chain. The requirements relevant to both must be confirmed for the product.
Yes. Finished foods, ingredients and supplements can be proposed for scope review. The assessment must connect the relevant certified materials to the specific product being sold. The approved scope determines what the certification claim can cover.
No. Your supplier’s certification does not automatically certify your finished product or give your brand permission to use the logo. Confirm the product scope and obtain the applicable authorisation before using the label.
Yes. Identify the contract manufacturers and packing businesses involved in your products. The team will confirm the activities and records needed to assess the proposed scope.
The business must maintain the separation and identification required by the standard. Explain how certified materials and products are distinguished during handling, storage and processing so these controls can be assessed.
Submit the product for scope review. The team will confirm which ingredients and activities must be included and what the certification can cover. Certification of one ingredient must not be presented as certification of the entire formulation unless that scope has been approved.
For botanical ingredients and finished supplements, chain of custody connects the relevant source material to the product assessed. The Land-Based Nutraceuticals category focuses on those products; this page explains traceability controls across agricultural and farming product supply chains.
No. The assessment concerns the applicable traceability requirements and defined certification scope. It does not establish a supplement’s clinical effectiveness or replace the product’s applicable safety and labelling obligations.
Apply for certification
Tell us which ingredients, processed products or finished retail products you want assessed and your role in their supply chain. Our team will confirm the applicable requirements, proposed scope and next steps.
Submitting preliminary information does not commit you to proceeding with an audit.
