The PEFC Council (Programme for the Endorsment of Forest Certification), is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization founded in 1999 that promotes sustainably managed forests through independent third-party certification. The PEFC provides an assurance mechanism to purchases of wood and paper products that they are promoting the sustainable management of forests. PEFC is a global umbrella organization for the assessment of abd mutual recognition of national forest certification schemes developed in a multi-stakeholder process.