Distribution of the system of voluntary certification (FSC - forest stewardship council)
ForESt ManagEMEnt cErtiFication May 2012 · For forest managers or owners, FSC® Forest Management...
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For forest managers or owners, FSC ® Forest Management (FM) certification is a way of ensuring that their careful and long-term forest management is recognized. It involves an inspection of forest management by an independent organization to check that it passes the internationally agreed FSC Principles and Criteria (P&C) of good forest management. Certification is voluntary and ensures that the management of a forest is responsible and based on a long-term commitment to high social and environmental standards. To sell material from an FSC certified forest with the FSC logo, a forest manager must also achieve FSC chain of custody certification. The FSC label shows that a product comes from a well managed forest and enables forest managers to pass on the benefits of certification to their customers. Who can get FM certification? FM certification can be achieved by anyone who complies with the FSC P&C. Smallholders, private owners of small, medium or large forest units, forest managers, and private or public companies can be FM certified. FSC certification is not only for forests producing timber. Forests which produce marketable non-timber forest products (NTFPs) – Brazil nuts, chestnut, chicle gum and medicinal plants, for instance – and ecosystem services such as maintaining water quality or soil conservation, can be certified. Becoming Forest Management certified How does FSC certification provide social, environmental and economic benefits? Social: certification helps to improve the relationship between the forest manager and local communities, indigenous peoples and workers, by ensuring the protection of rights, providing a platform for open dialogue and creating an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust. Environmental: certification helps forest managers to create management plans that identify and protect ecological values and functions. Through FSC certification, forest managers can gain access to training, industry best practices, and information about compliance with national and international laws. Certification also protects the reputation of your company among NGOs and fosters proactive dialogue with them. Economic: the efficient and planned use of the forest’s products and services helps to ensure economic viability. Some measures, such as diversifying the products collected, provide strength against market fluctuations and diminish times between harvests. FSC International Center GmbH • Charles-de-Gaulle-Strasse 5 • 53113 Bonn • Germany Phone +49 (0) 228 367 66 0 • Fax +49 (0) 228 367 66 30 • [email protected] • www.fsc.org May 2012 AT A GLANCE . . . FOREST MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION • Verification confirms that forest management practices meet FSC Principles and Criteria • Certification ensures responsible forest management through regular controls • Smallholders and communities can access affordable certification options FOREST MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION ® Forest Stewardship Council ® FSC ® International Center
Transcript of ForESt ManagEMEnt cErtiFication May 2012 · For forest managers or owners, FSC® Forest Management...
For forest managers or owners, FSC® Forest Management (FM) certification is a way of ensuring that their careful and long-term forest management is recognized. It involves an inspection of forest management by an independent organization to check that it passes the internationally agreed FSC Principles and Criteria (P&C) of good forest management.
Certification is voluntary and ensures that the management of a forest is responsible and based on a long-term commitment to high social and environmental standards.
To sell material from an FSC certified forest with the FSC logo, a forest manager must also achieve FSC chain of custody certification. The FSC label shows that a product comes from a well managed forest and enables forest managers to pass on the benefits of certification to their customers.
Who can get FM certification?FM certification can be achieved by anyone who complies with the FSC P&C. Smallholders, private owners of small, medium or large forest units, forest managers, and private or public companies can be FM certified.
FSC certification is not only for forests producing timber. Forests which produce marketable non-timber forest products (NTFPs) – Brazil nuts, chestnut, chicle gum and medicinal plants, for instance – and ecosystem services such as maintaining water quality or soil conservation, can be certified.
Becoming Forest Management certifiedHow does FSC certification provide social, environmental and economic benefits?
Social: certification helps to improve the relationship between the forest manager and local communities, indigenous peoples and workers, by ensuring the protection of rights, providing a platform for open dialogue and creating an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust.
Environmental: certification helps forest managers to create management plans that identify and protect ecological values and functions. Through FSC certification, forest managers can gain access to training, industry best practices, and information about compliance with national and international laws. Certification also protects the reputation of your company among NGOs and fosters proactive dialogue with them.
Economic: the efficient and planned use of the forest’s products and services helps to ensure economic viability. Some measures, such as diversifying the products collected, provide strength against market fluctuations and diminish times between harvests.
FSC International Center GmbH • Charles-de-Gaulle-Strasse 5 • 53113 Bonn • GermanyPhone +49 (0) 228 367 66 0 • Fax +49 (0) 228 367 66 30 • [email protected] • www.fsc.org
May 2012
at a glancE . . . ForESt ManagEMEnt cErtiFication• Verification confirms that forest
management practices meet FSC Principles and Criteria
• Certification ensures responsible forest management through regular controls
• Smallholders and communities can access affordable certification options
ForESt ManagEMEnt cErtiFication
® Forest Stewardship Council ®
FSC® International Center
FSc PrinciPlES For ForESt StEwardShiP 1. Compliance with laws and FSC
principles
2. Tenure and use rights and responsibilities
3. Indigenous peoples’ rights
4. Community relations and workers’ rights
5. Benefits from the forest
6. Environmental impact
7. Management plan
8. Monitoring and assessment
9. Maintenance of high conservation value forests
10. Responsible management of plantations
FSC International Center GmbH • Charles-de-Gaulle-Strasse 5 • 53113 Bonn • GermanyPhone +49 (0) 228 367 66 0 • Fax +49 (0) 228 367 66 30 • [email protected] • www.fsc.org
There is a clear, growing market demand for FSC certified products. FM certification helps forest managers access new markets and increase sales to existing buyers. In some countries, local governments, businesses and final consumers demand products with a guarantee that these come from responsibly managed forests. For instance, the governments of Denmark, Japan, and New Zealand accept FSC certification as proof of legality and sustainability for timber in their public procurement policies.
How does the certification system work? The organizations that participate in this voluntary certification scheme are:
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) develops the P&C – the rules which must be followed to protect the social, economic, ecological, cultural and spiritual needs of present and future generations.
Accreditation Services International (ASI) is the independent organization charged with providing FSC accreditation to certification bodies. Through regular checks, ASI verifies that certification bodies comply with the FSC P&C.
Certification Bodies are independent organizations that assess forest management and chain of custody operations against FSC standards.
An estimate of the costs and time needed for the certification will be provided. The forest manager decides which certification body to work with.
FSC certification in 5 steps:1. Contact one or several FSC accredited certification bodies. They will provide you with an estimate that includes the
cost and time required to get certified, together with information about the requirements for FSC certification.
2. You decide which certification body you would like to work with and sign an agreement with the certification body.
3. A certification audit takes place to assess your company’s qualifications for certification.
4. The data collected in the audit is compiled in an audit report. The certification body’s certification decision will be based on this audit report.
5. If the certification decision is positive, you receive an FSC certificate. If the audit revealed that your operation is not yet in full compliance with FSC requirements, you are given the opportunity to implement the changes suggested in the certification report and then undertake further audits until you are in full compliance.
FSC is aware that smallholders, communities and low-intensity managed forests may face additional challenges when seeking certification. To help these groups, FSC has developed a smallholder support programme and FSC Group certification. These are designed to streamline certification procedures, provide support and reduce individual costs.
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