WHY BECOME FSC CERTIFIED?

The paper and packaging industry depends on thriving forests. The supply of wood – the key raw material needed to produce paper and paperboard - will get affected if manufacturers like yourself don’t recognise the need to source sustainably. Around 11% of the wood extracted from the world’s forests is used by the paper industry, which produces 400 million tons of paper annually.

In the years to come, despite digitalisation, the demand for paper and paper products is expected to rise, particularly in emerging economies like India and China. But can the paper industry achieve the expected growth and make profits, without securing the source of its key ingredient?

The future of your industry depends on your choices today. Deforestation and unsustainable forestry are a threat, not just to the world’s forests, but also to your industry. The forest industry generates over $186 billion in global trade in primary wood products. Therefore, forests play a central role in economic health as well.

The FSC certification system ensures that no more trees are harvested than the forest itself can manage to reproduce, thereby securing a constant supply of raw material for you. Applying FSC standards to plantations ensures that the right trees are chosen for the right locations, and that the remaining natural values in the area are protected or restored.

Here are the benefits your business can enjoy by obtaining FSC certification:

   • Resilient supply chains: FSC certification will ensure that your entire supply chain is traceable, assuring you legality. It will also ensure long term access to raw material.

   • Access to global markets: Increasingly, more and more global brands that consume paper and paper products, are including sustainability standards in their procurement practices. By becoming FSC certified, you can gain access to new markets by supplying to global brands.

   • Brand credibility: Customers can be confident of the responsible origins of your product, thereby enhancing your corporate reputation. FSC labels will help you stand out in the Indian market and serve as a brand differentiator, as sustainably sourced products are still a small market. You will have the first-movers advantage and an opportunity to tap new markets among responsible consumers.

   • Adherence to future government policies: Policies on sustainable development, production and consumption are increasingly becoming a strong mandate for country governments, particularly in emerging economies. You can greatly reduce your risk of exposure to illegal harvesting of timber and derived products by becoming FSC certified yourself and sourcing from FSC certified forests.

FSC certification will give your business an edge in the global paper and packaging industry, and at the same time, contribute to the fight against deforestation, forest degradation, illegal logging and climate change.