Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

In just over fifteen years, FSC has established itself as one of the leading forestry labels in the world, approved – or actively promoted – by the big environmental organisations combating deforestation.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was created in 1993 in Toronto (Canada) by forest owners, businesses active in the timber industry, various social groups and NGOs anxious to respond to the problem of deforestation.

Its objective: to offer consumers a genuine guarantee (evidenced by the FSC label) that the wood or paper they buy comes from a forest that is being managed in a manner that preserves its biodiversity and is socially beneficial and economically viable. “Socially beneficial” means that the FSC protects the well-being of the local communities living in or close to the exploited forests and that of the operators and forestry workers. One of the principal characteristics of FSC is the reputation it enjoys with the large environmental organisations (in particular WWF and UNEP). Award of the label requires compliance with ten main principles (and certain criteria) adapted by local working groups depending on the type of forest in question.

These principles are based on those of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) (the right of ownership of the indigenous populations, financial compensation in the event of land appropriation, etc.) and on various environmental standards (development of a forest management plan, protection of extraordinary forests, observance of national law, preservation of biodiversity, etc.).

The FSC label need not be compulsorily placed on the wood or paper sold, but rather on the sales invoices. Certification is granted for a period of five years, on the basis of an independent audit, which must be carried out at least once a year. This audit is carried out in respect of both administrative and field operations, and may be pre-announced or random. It covers both the product (wood and all stages of its processing) and the forest (its management).

The majority of the certified forests are located in the northern hemisphere, in particular in the United States and Canada. In Belgium, 13% of imported wood (for frames, garden furniture, etc.) is FSC labelled (2007).

www.fsc.org

In brief

Creation date:

1993

Based at:

Bonn,Germany

Origin/need:

Response to the threat of increasing world deforestation, endorsed in particular at the Rio Earth Summit 1992.

Sector:

Forest management.

In Belgium:

Mainly wood, and wood and paper products.

What is guaranteed:

The FSC label guarantees sustainable management of the forest and its resources.

Stakeholders:

NGOs, consumers, trade unions, experts, businesses.enterprises.

Beneficiaries:

Independent producers, cooperatives, businesses/brand holders.

Type of assessment:

Third party.

Methods:

Analysis of the documentary system, pre-announced and random site visits, interviews with internal and external stakeholders.

Sector activities concerned:

Production, import/export, processing, distribution, public awareness.

Requirements:

The FSC principles and criteria constitute an international framework for forest certification. Alongside it, a set of production chain requirements allows products to be traced through to final consumption.

Room for manoeuvre:

During a certification audit, requests for corrective actions are presented in order to respond to non-conformities. Major actions will suspend the process; minor actions must be carried out within a set period after certification.

Improvement procedure:

Requests for corrective actions (CAR: corrective actions requested) will initiate a continuous improvement process.

Did you know ?

Fairtrade Labelling Organization and FSC have launched a pilot project for double certification accessible to small forest owners.
This would combine sustainable forest management and fair trade.
For more information: www.fsc.org
In Belgium, 13% of imported wood is FSC labelled.

How do I get the certification ?

1. Make contact with one or more certification organisations accredited by FSC. These will give you an estimate of the costs, and advise the initial requirements and the time necessary for the process, based on the information you provide.

2. Choose an FSC certification organisation and enter into agreement with it.

3. Certification audit to verify conformity with the FSC principles and criteria.

4. Drafting of an audit report based on the data collected.

5. Decision regarding certification based on the report. If it is positive, an FSC certificate is issued. If the level of conformity is insufficient, other audits may be carried out based on changes suggested in the certification report.

How much does the certification cost ?

The costs of certification depend on the type of certification (forest or production chain) and on a series of other parameters: size, location, complexity of the forest. The main cost element is the number of days and auditors required to carry out the audit. The bigger the forest, the higher the cost, but not necessarily the cost per hectare. Conversely, the smaller the forest, the higher the cost per hectare (group certification will give economies of scale). In addition, everything depends on the country.

As an example, in South America, the total cost of forest management certification can vary from about 20 USD/ha for small properties (less than 1000ha) to 1-3 USD/ha for larger properties up to 10,000 ha, to less than 0.5 USD/ha for properties of more than 50,000 ha.

Annual costs of participation in the FSC programme in Belgium:

- Forest certification: 1-2 euros/year/ha (individual or as a group beyond a certain surface area)

- Certification of production chain: from 750 euros/year for businesses employing fewer than fifteen persons. Beyond that number, the costs are from 850 euros/year.

The majority of the certified forests are located in the northern hemisphere, in particular in the United States and Canada.

Interview

Interview:

THE FSC IN CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE

Since the spring of 2008, Congolaise Industrielle desBbois (CIB), a subsidiary of the Danish DLH group, has been exploiting 750,000 hectares of forest certified by FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) in the North of the Republic of Congo-Brazaville. A way of anticipating the inexorable march of European and American markets towards increasingly “clean” wood. Interview with Lucas Van Der Walt, forest and environment manager at DLH.

Why has an international group like yours adopted labelling?

In the beginning, labelling was a marketing tool. Gradually, with the legislative changes made in Europe and North America to favour the legal exploitation of forests, it has become essential. It involves the preservation of ecosystems, on which we depend directly for our industrial and commercial activity.

By adopting certification in the forests we operate under concessions, we want to show our suppliers that despite difficulties, this approach is completely realistic. Today, 20 to 25 % of sourcing of DLH is certified by independent inspections. At CIB, we want to double the surface area exploited by 2010.

Why did you choose the FSC?

DLH also works with the PEFC. But, among the international labels, FSC is the only one widely recognised in tropical countries. In addition, it is the only one which is rigorous in the social domain, not restricting itself to just requiring forest development plans. For example, at Pokola (450,000 hectares) and Kabo (300,000 hectares, certified in 2006), two types of rights clash: those of forestry companies like ours, which have concessions legally granted by the Congolese government almost 40 years ago, and those of the indigenous populations (Pygmies), by virtue of ancestral property rights. How can they be reconciled? By developing special mapping and marking tools suitable for these uneducated and often illiterate populations.

We have also created a community radio service, run directly by the indigenous people. On this service, the forest, its future and its management are discussed.

In the beginning, labelling was a marketing tool. Gradually, with the legislative changes made in Europe and North America to favour the legal exploitation of forests, it has become essential.

What is the guarantee that “it works”?

The principles and criteria of the FSC, which is supported by Greenpeace and the WWF, are very demanding.

This eco-certification standard is based on the concept of sustainable development, in other words forest management which is ecologically appropriate (reduction in the volume of traditional species exploited, reduction in surface area disturbed by heavy plant and machinery, exploitation of by-products, etc.), socially rational and economically viable. Alongside forestry management itself, the chain of traceability to the end consumer is also monitored.

Without this compliance, no award of the FSC label. It is the role of SGS, a completely independent company, to verify all of this.

And what is the cost to Congolaise Industrielle des Bois?

It’s a lot! The direct cost of FSC certification has been more than 10 million USD since 2004, which is 20% of our annual turnover. To this must be added indirect costs, which are also very high. At present, it isn't a profitable operation.

In fact, the price of hardwood on the international market is still largely influenced by illegal cutting, mostly in the tropical zone. This competition is therefore very tough for pioneers like us. Certification justifies the higher sale price. The governments of the countries of the North must at all costs provide their public markets with certified wood. Individual consumers too, through their purchases of wooden frames and garden furniture, must demand certified wood. The “snowball” effect will then take off.

> www.dlh-group.com - www.cib-timber.com

CERTIFICATIONS: FSC

Other information

FOR SMALL OWNERS TOO

The costs and procedures of certification prevent many small forestry owners, or forests with low levels of production, from gaining access to certification, unlike many large owners or operators. FSC participates in various projects designed to allow these disadvantaged operators to demonstrate their sustainable management: SLIMF (Small and Low Intensity Forest Management) project, GEF project (improved tropical forest management certification), collaboration with the Fairtrade Labelling Organisation (FLO).

BUILDING A CREDIBLE CHAIN

Any operation involving the manufacture, processing, sale or packaging of FSC certified products must also be FSC certified to use the FSC label. This allows a credible link to be created throughout the production chain, between sustainable forest management and the consumer. This production chain certification requires identification of the raw materials used in FSC products and the establishment of a system of separation between products that are FSC certified and those that are not.

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