The FSC label
The Trademark of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a label on timber and wood products which indicates that the wood comes from a well-managed forest. It guarantees that the forest of origin has been independently inspected and evaluated to comply with an internationally agreed set of strict environmental, social and economic standards. The FSC Trademark enables buyers to choose timber with the confidence that they are not contributing to the destruction of the world's forests. By buying from certified sources they provide an incentive in the marketplace for good forestry practice.
What is the Forest Stewardship Council?
FSC is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organisation founded in 1993 to promote good forest management worldwide. Its membership comprises environmental groups, such as WWF and Greenpeace, indigenous peoples' organisations, community forestry groups, forestry professionals, timber traders, and retail companies. This broad base of support helps to maintain FSC's pragmatism and credibility.
Claims of sustainability - who to believe?
How can you be sure that environmental claims such as 'from a sustainable source' have any meaning? Green labels are a minefield. In the early 1990s they appeared on everything from furniture to disposable nappies. It was the response of companies who sought to defend their reputation under increasing pressure from environmental campaigns and the public. However, the public has no way of knowing what is behind such claims.
A survey commissioned by the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) in 1993 showed that only three out of 80 users of such labels were able to back up their claims with any evidence and none could fully answer the questions. The FSC was established to provide an approach which tackles these problems.
Certification and labelling under FSC
For you to be sure that a piece of wood comes from a well-managed forest, you need to know two things:
1) that the forest of origin can be proven to be managed responsibly,
2) that the piece of wood can be guaranteed to come from that forest.
The FSC scheme provides both these elements: forest certification and chain of custody control.
Forest certification involves an inspection of the forest management by an independent organisation, such as the Soil Association or BM TRADA, to check that it complies with FSC's internationally agreed Principles and Criteria of good forest management. Requirements include compliance with national legislation, respect for local people's rights, ecological integrity, economic viability, and the need for adequate planning and monitoring of operations.
Chain of custody control ensures that the wood is, genuinely, from the certified forest. It requires that the timber is marked and/or separated from uncertified timber through all processing stages from the forest to the retail shelf. This track, i.e. the 'chain-of-custody', is likewise inspected and monitored by independent certification bodies.
What are the benefits of the FSC label?
| | It provides added value to your stock or product, giving it a genuine environmental quality. |
| | It demonstrates that you take the environmental concerns of your customers and staff seriously. |
| | It assists with continued market access in an increasingly environmentally aware sector. |
What do I have to do to get the FSC label for my stock or products?
Simple - buy FSC labelled timber from James Callander!
A chain of custody is not required if a wholesaler, retailer or agent is handling products that are packaged and labelled ready for sale to consumers. In all other circumstances where products are repackaged or handled in any way a chain of custody certificate is required.
FSC does not carry out inspections and certifications itself. This work is carried out by BM TRADA in its role as an independent certification body.
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