Forest certification is considered one of the most important initiatives of the last decade to promote sustainable forest management, and certification has been underway in Belgium since 1994. Several certification schemes exist worldwide; the best-known initiatives are the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC). The Brussels Capital Region actively promotes the use of FSC-certified wood in public works, while PEFC is mainly promoted by the Walloon Region, where it is fully operational. The federal government and the Flemish Region support all certification systems that certify that wood comes from sustainably managed forests, for example through their public procurement policies.

This operational objective supports the use of "sustainable" and "responsible" timber products in commercial forestry (certified), as well as the promotion of credible certification systems. This objective can be achieved, for example, through actions in different areas, such as public procurement policy or awareness-raising activities for the public and forest owners. Forest certification can be an important tool for promoting better forest management and trade in forest products, although it is important to pay attention to the credibility of such certification. To be credible, systems must have robust and independent verification systems.