Preferred by Nature is a non-profit that operates both as a certification body — auditing against FSC, PEFC, RSPO and other schemes — and as owner of its own Sustainability Framework (v1.4), a certifiable standard for responsible sourcing that can be applied across commodities and adapted to supply chains lacking a dedicated scheme. This dual role makes it unusual: its framework-based certification is a scheme in its own right, while much of its fieldwork underpins other labels' certificates. For claims, the operative question is always which instrument sits behind a statement — a Preferred by Nature Sustainability Framework certificate supports a sourcing claim within its scope, but the organisation's name on an audit report for another scheme does not itself confer a label. Its certification work is accredited across schemes, and its own framework certification issues certificates that buyers use for supply chains lacking commodity-specific standards. The non-profit status and field-level footprint make it a common choice for landscape and smallholder programmes. A rating or validation does not by itself certify every product or substantiate claims beyond the assessed scope.
Conditional relationships
Claims it may support
A relationship does not mean that the standard proves or validates every use of a claim.
Preferred by Nature Sustainability Framework v1.4 + certification to scheme-specific versions (FSC, RSPO, RA etc.)
Covered scope
Certification body (operates FSC, RA, SBP etc.)
Market
Global
Evidence normally needed
Verification statement from the body covering the claimed scope and period
Assurance
Accredited certification services
Chain of custody
Scheme-dependent — certification body and scheme owner; CoC per the scheme certified (e.g., FSC-STD-40-004); own Sustainability Framework uses supply-chain certification models — claim wording must reflect this custody model