When choosing a printing company, the most relevant environmental certifications are FSC, PEFC, and ISO 14001. FSC and PEFC guarantee that paper comes from responsibly managed forests, while ISO 14001 demonstrates that a printing company actively manages its overall environmental impact. Which certification carries the most weight depends on the type of printed materials you are having produced and your organization’s sustainability requirements. In this article, we answer the most frequently asked questions about environmental certifications in the printing industry, so you can make an informed decision. Do you have questions about our print solutions or would you like tailored advice? Feel free to contact us — we are happy to help.
Which environmental certifications are most common in the printing industry?
The most common environmental certifications in the printing industry are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification), and ISO 14001. In addition, the Nordic Swan Ecolabel and the EU Ecolabel are also frequently encountered in the Benelux region, as they assess the broader environmental performance of a printing company.
FSC is the world’s best-known certification for responsible forest management and is maintained by most major printing companies. PEFC is a comparable system that is particularly well established in Europe. ISO 14001 is a management standard that does not focus specifically on paper, but on a company’s entire environmental management system.
The EU Ecolabel and the Nordic Swan Ecolabel go a step further: they set requirements for the entire production chain, including ink usage, energy consumption, and waste management. These labels are less widespread, but serve as a strong signal that a printing company takes sustainability seriously.
- FSC: responsible forest management, globally recognized
- PEFC: comparable to FSC, strongly represented in Europe
- ISO 14001: environmental management system for overall business operations
- EU Ecolabel: broad environmental criteria covering the entire production chain
- Nordic Swan Ecolabel: popular in Scandinavia and the Benelux region
What does an FSC or PEFC certification say about a printing company?
An FSC or PEFC certification means that a printing company can demonstrably use paper and board sourced from responsibly managed forests. Both systems track the origin of wood through what is known as a chain of custody — from forest management through to the finished product.
In practice, this means the printing company purchases certified paper, keeps it separate from non-certified material, and labels it correctly on the final product. A printing company with FSC certification can add the official FSC logo to your printed materials, which serves as a recognizable and trusted sustainability signal for your customers.
The difference between FSC and PEFC is primarily organizational in nature. FSC operates with its own forest criteria and has strong international brand recognition. PEFC recognizes national certification standards, making it more flexible for European forest managers. In practice, both systems are equally reliable. If your organization has a preference for a specific logo on the final product, it is advisable to discuss this with your printing company in advance.
How does ISO 14001 differ from other environmental certifications?
ISO 14001 differs from FSC, PEFC, and ecolabels in that it is not a product certification, but a management standard. The certificate does not prove that a specific product was produced sustainably, but rather that the printing company has a documented system in place to systematically measure, manage, and improve its environmental impact.
Where FSC and PEFC focus on the origin of raw materials, ISO 14001 looks at broader business operations: energy consumption, waste streams, water usage, emissions, and the way the organization manages environmental risks. A printing company with ISO 14001 has demonstrably established environmental improvement targets and is periodically audited on these by an independent certification body.
For clients who want to work with a supplier that has sustainability structurally embedded in its operations, ISO 14001 is a strong signal. It is comparable to how ISO 9001 safeguards quality management: it is not the product itself that is certified, but the system behind it. We ourselves work with ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 as the foundation for quality and information management, which gives us a thorough understanding of what it means to systematically secure processes.
Which certification is most relevant for your type of printed materials?
The most relevant environmental certification depends on the type of printed materials, their intended use, and the sustainability requirements of your organization or sector. There is no universal answer, but there are clear guidelines for each use case.
For printed marketing materials, packaging, and product documentation where you want to make sustainable paper use visible to end customers, FSC or PEFC is the most practical choice. The logo on the final product communicates directly to the consumer.
For corporate clients with internal sustainability policies or CSR reporting requirements, ISO 14001 at a printing company is often a prerequisite. Many procurement departments and tendering procedures explicitly require this certificate as proof that the supplier takes environmental management seriously.
For printed materials intended for the retail sector, such as point-of-sale materials, the EU Ecolabel or Nordic Swan Ecolabel may be relevant — particularly if you operate in sectors with stringent sustainability communication requirements, such as food, cosmetics, or textiles.
In practice, a combination of FSC or PEFC and ISO 14001 at a printing company provides a solid foundation. This covers both the origin of materials and the broader environmental performance of the supplier.
How do you verify that a printing company’s certification is genuinely valid?
You can always independently verify the validity of an environmental certification through the public databases of the certifying organizations. Never rely solely on a copy of the certificate — also check whether it is current and covers the relevant activities.
For FSC certifications, use the FSC Certificate Database at info.fsc.org. Search by company name or certificate number to immediately see whether the certificate is valid, which products it covers, and when it expires. PEFC has a similar search function at pefc.org.
For ISO 14001, you can contact the certifying body directly, or use the database of the Dutch Accreditation Council (RvA) in the Netherlands. The RvA accredits the certification bodies authorized to issue ISO standards, and their website allows you to verify whether a body is recognized.
When checking, pay attention to the following points:
- Is the certificate still valid and not expired?
- Is the printing company listed by name, not just a parent company?
- Does the certificate cover the activities you are outsourcing, such as offset printing or digital printing?
- Is the certifying body itself accredited?
A reliable printing company will be transparent about its certifications and proactively provide you with the necessary documentation. If a supplier is reluctant to share certificates or avoids verification, that is a reason for extra caution. Would you like to know how we at Crestec Europe handle quality and sustainability requirements in our print services? Contact us for a no-obligation conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a printing company hold multiple environmental certifications at the same time?
Yes, and this is actually common among professional printing companies. It is entirely possible for a printing company to be both FSC- and PEFC-certified while also holding ISO 14001. These certifications complement one another: FSC and PEFC cover the origin of paper and raw materials, while ISO 14001 safeguards the broader environmental performance of business operations. As a client, working with a printing company that holds multiple certifications means you can count on a more comprehensive approach to sustainability.
What are the costs of sustainably certified print compared to standard print?
The additional costs for FSC- or PEFC-certified printing are generally modest, ranging from a few percent to a maximum of 10–15%, depending on the paper type and print run. ISO 14001 has no direct impact on material costs, but can indirectly contribute to more efficient processes at the printing company. For many organizations, the investment is more than offset by the communication value it provides to customers and the advantages it offers in tendering procedures or CSR reporting.
How often are environmental certifications for printing companies renewed or reassessed?
ISO 14001 certificates are typically subject to annual interim audits and a full reassessment every three years by an independent certification body. FSC and PEFC certificates have a validity period of five years, but are also reviewed annually through surveillance audits. This means that a valid certificate always reflects current performance, not a one-time assessment from the past.
Can I as a client freely use the FSC or PEFC logo on my printed materials?
No, the use of the FSC or PEFC logo is subject to strict licensing rules. As a client, you may only have the logo placed on your printed materials if your printing company is certified and if you or your organization also holds a valid license agreement with FSC or PEFC. In practice, a certified printing company will often manage this process on your behalf, but it is advisable to confirm this in advance to avoid any surprises later on.
What should I do if a printing company claims to be certified but I cannot find the certificate in the database?
Ask the printing company directly for the certificate number and the name of the certifying body, then verify these yourself through the official databases such as info.fsc.org, pefc.org, or the website of the Dutch Accreditation Council. If the certificate does not match or has expired, raise this with the supplier and request an up-to-date certificate. A reliable supplier will resolve this quickly; if a printing company remains unclear or obstructs verification, it is advisable to consider an alternative supplier.
Are there environmental certifications specifically aimed at digital printing or high-volume print runs?
The standard certifications such as FSC, PEFC, and ISO 14001 apply to both digital and offset printing and are valid regardless of print run size. Within ISO 14001, there are additional sector-specific guidelines, such as the ISO 14064 standard for CO₂ reporting, which may be more relevant for large-scale production. For short-run digital printing, it is also worth asking about the use of certified water-based inks or toners free from hazardous substances, as this can provide additional environmental benefits.
How do I include environmental certifications in a tendering procedure or procurement policy?
In your tender or procurement policy, specify concretely which certifications are mandatory and which serve as award criteria — for example: ‘The supplier must be demonstrably FSC- or PEFC-certified and hold a valid ISO 14001 certificate.’ Ask suppliers to provide certificate numbers and verification details as part of their quote, so you can check these directly. By including certifications as a firm requirement, you prevent suppliers from relying on vague sustainability claims without verifiable substantiation.