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FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL (FSC)
 FSC Trademark © 1996 Forest Stewardship Council, AC. FSC-ACC-002Wood is one of the few materials which can be described as truly sustainable. Some of our best loved and ecologically rich ancient woodlands have supplied timber for ships, houses and furniture for thousands of years.
But more and more people are rightly concerned that the wood they are using might be contributing to the destruction of forests around the world. That is why the Soil Association helped set up the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) - an international non-profit organisation dedicated to the promotion of responsible forest management.
What is the Forest Stewardship Council?
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has developed a unique system of independent forest certification and product labelling, helping consumers identify timber and products from responsibly managed woodlands. The FSC is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation (NGO).
What is certification?
Certification is the process of inspecting forests to assess their management according to an agreed set of principles and criteria. These include recognition of indigenous peoples' rights, long term economic viability and protection of wildlife. A wide range of forests have already been certified, from Swedish pine plantations to tropical rainforests in Brazil.
Who supports FSC?
The FSC system is backed by a range of environmental organisations. These include WWF, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, the National Trust and the Woodland Trust, as well as major companies, trade unions and other social groups.
Will it really make a difference?
Yes, the FSC logo shows that timber comes from responsibly managed forests. More FSC products mean that more FSC certified forests are being managed for the long-term well being of people and the planet.
How does it work?
FSC has developed ten rules, or principles, that define good management. These principles are global they can apply to any forest any where in world.
Principles for forest stewardship:
- Compliance with laws and FSC principles
- Rights and responsibilities relating to land tenure and use
- Indigenous peoples’ rights
- Community relations and workers' rights
- Benefits from the forest
- Environmental Impact
- Management plan
- Monitoring and assessment
- Maintenance of high conservation value forests
- Plantations.
Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)
The PEFC Council (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation, founded in 1999 which promotes sustainably managed forests through independent third party certification. The PEFC provides an assurance mechanism to purchasers of wood and paper products that they are promoting the sustainable management of forests.
The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification means we are part of the worlds largest forest certification programme. Two thirds of the worlds certified forests (a total area in excess of 200 million hectares) are managed by PEFC-endorsed certification systems, delivering millions of tonnes of certified timber onto the global market. In just over three years, PEFC UK has seen a ten fold increase in demand for Chain of Custody certificates, demonstrating a growing appetite for certified products.
Why is PEFC so successful?
PEFC respects and relies on worldwide, internationally agreed processes for certification and sustainable forestry as the basis on which to build national certification standards and schemes. Through PEFC, customers, trade and industry all over the world can rely on the fact that forest management with PEFC certification in any country will exceed the internationally approved strict requirements.
What will certification do for you?
- Consumers – can support sustainable forestry through the purchase of products that use raw material harvested from certified forests
- Retailers/traders (customers of the wood processing industry) – can support their business activity by promoting the use of wood/paper products sustainably managed sources.
- The wood processing industry – can improve the image of its sector and promote the use of its products.
What is Certification?
Chain of custody is the process by which the source of a forest product is verified. In order for products originating from certified sources to be eligible to carry the PEFC logo, the certified timber or raw material must be tracked from the forest through the supply chain.
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