ABOUT THE FSC SYSTEM
FSC aims to ensure that forest products are sourced and handled responsibly through the product’s journey - from the forest to the consumer. For a product to be FSC labelled, all links in the production supply chain – the forest owner/manager, manufacturer, and buyer – need to secure one of two types of FSC certification:
Forest Management Certification: This certification is awarded to forest owners or managers who agree to fulfil FSC’s 10 Principles and Criteria and the applicable FSC national forest stewardship standard. This ensures that a forest in managed in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.
To achieve this certification, forest owners and managers must pass an assessment by an FSC-accredited certification body which evaluates their forest management processes, environmental, social and economic impact. If the management practices conform to the FSC Principles and Criteria, an FSC Forest Management Certificate is awarded, valid for 5 years and subject to annual checks.
Chain of Custody: This certification applies to businesses that manufacture or sell forest products. After the wood leaves the forest, there is a complex supply chain of processing units, manufacturers, distributors and buyers, who have a role to play in sustainable production. FSC Chain of Custody certification ensures that the product has been checked at every stage of processing for meeting the highest sustainability standards.
The FSC 100% label means that the wood within the product comes completely from FSC-certified well-managed forests.
The FSC Recycled label means all the wood or paper in the product comes from reclaimed (re-used) material.
The FSC Mix label means the wood within the product is from FSC-certified forests, recycled material, or controlled wood. Controlled wood cannot be:
• illegally harvested;
• harvested in violation of traditional and civil rights;
• harvested in forests where high conservation values (HCVs) are threatened;
• harvested in forests being converted to plantations or non-forest use;
• harvested in forests where genetically modified trees are planted.
FSC’s 10 Principles and Criteria
Before a forest owner or manager can certify their forest, they must meet the ten FSC principles for responsible forest management. These rules apply to all forest types.
PRINCIPLE 1: The Organization shall comply with all applicable laws, regulations and nationally-ratified international treaties, conventions and agreements.
PRINCIPLE 2: The Organization shall maintain or enhance the social and economic wellbeing of workers.
PRINCIPLE 3: The Organization shall identify and uphold Indigenous Peoples’ legal and customary rights of ownership, use and management of land, territories and resources affected by management activities.
PRINCIPLE 4: The Organization shall contribute to maintaining or enhancing the social and economic wellbeing of local communities.
PRINCIPLE 5: The Organization shall efficiently manage the range of multiple products and services of the Management Unit to maintain or enhance long term economic viability and the range of environmental and social benefits.
PRINCIPLE 6: The Organization shall maintain, conserve and/or restore ecosystem services and environmental values of the Management Unit, and shall avoid, repair or mitigate negative environmental impacts.
PRINCIPLE 7: The Organization shall have a management plan consistent with its policies and objectives and proportionate to scale, intensity and risks of its management activities. The management plan shall be implemented and kept up to date based on monitoring information in order to promote adaptive management. The associated planning and procedural documentation shall be sufficient to guide staff, inform affected stakeholders and interested stakeholders and to justify management decisions.
PRINCIPLE 8: The Organization shall demonstrate that, progress towards achieving the management objectives, the impacts of management activities and the condition of the Management Unit, are monitored and evaluated proportionate to the scale, intensity and risk of management activities, in order to implement adaptive management.
PRINCIPLE 9: The Organization shall maintain and/or enhance the High Conservation Values in the Management Unit through applying the precautionary approach.
PRINCIPLE 10: Management activities conducted by or for The Organization for the Management Unit shall be selected and implemented consistent with The Organization’s economic, environmental and social policies and objectives and in compliance with the Principles and Criteria collectively.