FSC
The independent non-profit organization, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was founded in 1993 to promote global forest management in an environmentally sound, socially acceptable, and economically viable way.
The FSC Chain of Custody standard has been issued by the organization FSC and describes a system of sustainable forest management. This includes, the effective monitoring of the raw materials, in all phases of their processing: from the forest to all intermediate production and processing systems and the delivery of the final product. This way, FSC certification enables consumers to identify and select responsibly forestry products (timber, paper) in stores around the world.
In other words, the FSC Chain of Custody standard sets out the environmental requirements that these companies must meet and also guarantees their participation in responsible forest management, focusing on the following points:
- Environmental sustainability: At each harvest or processing stage, biodiversity, productivity, and ecological processes are maintained.
- Social character: The society enjoys the benefits of an environmentally sound management and at the same time promotes the conservation of forest resources not only in the present but also in the future, following long-term management plans.
- Economic viability: All forest operations are organized in such a way that they are profitable but without deteriorating the forest resources, the ecosystem, or the local communities.
The FSC Chain of Custody standard is addressed to:
All companies related to wood products, such as marketing, processing, or production of wood products. More specifically:
- Furniture manufacturing companies
- Paper pulp production companies
- Paper processing and manufacturing companies
- Companies related to printing on paper
Finally, after FSC certification, companies can label their products with the FSC standard logo.
Advantages of applying the standard:
- The products, due to the logo, are easily recognizable by the consumers
- Environmental awareness is promoted
- Improves the image of the company to all its members (staff, customers, society, suppliers)
- Environmentally conscious consumers always support companies that follow good practices