What is Sustainable Forest Management?
The above definition has been made possible by Certifications and Eco-labeling of companies and products falling in the supply chain of forest. FSC Certification is one such Certification provided to business owners who can comply with the requirements laid down by the Forest Stewardship Council.
What is FSC?
FSC® stands for Forest Stewardship Council® a globally recognized certification system with million hectares of forestland certified under its forest conservation standards. FSC uses a voluntary, market-based system in which forests, companies anyway associated to timber related products are audited against principles and criteria of FSC. The performance-based standards encompass environmental, social and economic values, and are framed to ensure that the forests are managed sustainably.
FSC ensures traceability of products from the forests to the point of sale. Products that are manufactured from responsibly harvested forests are identified with the FSC logo, which is considered the “gold standard” of forest certification by major environmental groups.
FSC® is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. Established in 1993 as a response to concerns over global deforestation, FSC is widely regarded as one of the most important initiatives of the last decades to promote responsible forest management worldwide. In 1993, the FSC also published a standard outlining 10 principles and criteria for forest stewardship and the requirements for CoC. FSC is a certification system that provides internationally-recognized standard-setting, trademark assurance and accreditation services to companies, organizations, and communities interested in responsible forestry. The FSC label provides a credible link between responsible production and consumption of forest products, enabling consumers and businesses to make purchasing decisions that benefit people and the environment as well as providing ongoing business value. FSC is nationally represented in 89 countries around the world. Globally, there are more than 159.77 million ha of forest certified to FSC standards, including over 56,296 CoC certificates and 1,489 FM/CoC certificates (data correct as of July 2023).
What are the different types of FSC Certifications available?
The business owners depending on their operations and product can avail certifications to establish stewardship. The FSC provides certificates like: Forest Management (FM), Chain of Custody (CoC), Control Wood (CW)
FM Certification
FSC Forest Management certification is for forest and plantation owners willing to adopt a sustainable forest management system. Read more about FSC FM.
CoC Certification
FSC Chain of Custody is for all business owners producing goods from timber as their raw material directly or indirectly. Read more about FSC CoC
CW Certification
FSC Controlled Wood can be availed by manufacturers producing products made of timber from mixed sources – FSC certified and Controlled Wood.
For FSC FM Certification, Chain of Custody (CoC) and Control Wood (CW) consultation visit Contact Us page.