Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) Certification

Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) is an international non-profit organisation dedicated to the promotion of responsible forest management. The FSC® has developed a unique system of independent forest certification and product labelling, helping consumers identify timber and products from responsibly managed woodlands. The FSC® is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation (NGO).

The process of certification involves inspecting forests to assess their management according to an agreed set of principles and criteria. These include recognition of indigenous peoples' rights, long term economic viability and protection of wildlife. A wide range of forests have already been certified, from Swedish pine plantations to tropical rainforests in Brazil. The FSC® system is backed by a range of environmental organisations. These include WWF, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, the National Trust and the Woodland Trust, as well as major companies, trade unions and other social groups.

Any timber merchant that gains the right to display the FSC® logo can say that their sourced timber comes from responsibly managed forests. More FSC® products mean that more FSC® certified forests are being managed for the long-term well-being of people and the planet.