FSC Setting the Standard for Responsible Forest Management

Forest Stewardship Council… because forests matter

The solutions we

provide…

– Standards that reflect agreed principles for responsible forest management,

– An accreditation/certification system that monitors adherence to FSC standards

– A product labelling system that rewards responsible forest managers

Together: A market driven mechanism to improve forest management, worldwide

Forest Stewardship CouncilFSC Global Networks …

National Initiatives in 38 Countries + 10 Applicants 16 Certification Bodies + 7 Applicants 26 Nationally developed indicators + 7 Applicants in 21 Countries 85‘801‘495 hectares certified in 6‘305 Certificates in 82 Countries

FSC Asia ROSO Asia

FSC Africa ROCentral Africa

FSC International Center ASI-Accreditation Services International

FSC Europe RO

FSC Latin America RO

FSC Russia

FSC China

FSC U.S.A.

FSC Canada

FSC A.C.Oaxaca, Mexico

Data as of January 2007

FSC Controlled Wood standards Background……

• Two standards:

– FSC-STD-30-010 FSC Controlled Wood standard for forest management enterprises

– FSC-STD-40-005 Standard for company evaluation of FSC Controlled Wood

40-005 designed to help FSC CoC companies avoid ‘unacceptable’ wood

30-010 designed to help forest management enterprises demonstrate that they are not supplying ‘unacceptable’ wood

FSC Controlled Wood standards Background……

FSC-STD-40-005: • First version (1.0) approved by the FSC BoD in 2004 together with a new CoC standard for

manufacturing companies

• Replaces the ‘controversial sources’ requirements included in the FSC Percentage Based Claims policy

• Introduces a Risk Approach for the uncertified sources

• Review during 2005 and 2006

• Second version approved by the FSC BoD in October 2006

FSC Controlled WoodWhy not legality alone?….

Verification of legality is not sufficient because:

legal requirements are not consistent or universally acceptable (i.e. what is legal in country X may be unacceptable in country Y and illegal in country Z)

legal requirements are often not consistent (sometimes contradicting) between international, regional and national levels

scope of legality is not defined universally (i.e. to what extent are financial, economic, environmental, social legislations and court decisions included)

In some places, legal framework could promote forest conversion or practices that violates indigenous peoples rights.

Forest Stewardship CouncilWhy not Controlled Wood alone ?

Verification of Controlled Wood alone is not sufficient because:

Controlled Wood DOES NOT equal good forest management, because:

no monitoring of the management plan is required and often no management plan is required

no requirements on use of exotic species, pesticides or fertilizers

no environmental impact assessment or requirements on ensuring biodiversity

no social impact assessment or requirements on social benefits

Forest Stewardship CouncilFSC Controlled Wood …

The FSC Controlled Wood Standards aims to avoid from MIXING with FSC-certified material in trade, processing, manufacturing and retailing, timber & timber products which originate from:

illegal logging activity

areas where traditional and civil rights are violated Threatened High Conservation Values (HCVs)

Areas converted from forests and other wooded ecosystems to plantations or non-forest users

genetically modified trees

Forest Stewardship CouncilFSC Controlled Wood Indicators …

Indicators related to legality:

compliance with harvesting laws

species, qualities and quantities are classified and measured according to legal requirements

legal sales and transport documents

compliance with requirements of the “Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species – CITES”

forest governance and enforcement

Forest Stewardship CouncilFSC Controlled Wood approach …

Businesses and industries buying wood from un-certified sources for MIXING with FSC-certified material shall:

1. Identify supplies’ countries and districts

2. assess the district for risk of violation of the indicators of the controlled wood standards

3. Implement a company verification program for suppliers according to the results of the risk assessment

4. have their risk designation and company verification program audited by an FSC accredited certification body

2nd AND 3rd party audit

If the supplier of un-certified timber is located in a:

1. ‘low’ risk area, the timber shall be considered Controlled Wood.

2. ‘unspecified’ risk area, the forest management units shall be evaluated against the indicators for Controlled Wood.

• Both are checked by an FSC accredited Certification Body

Forest Stewardship CouncilRisk Assessment …

Does the uncertified timber come from ‘low’ risk areas?

Is FSC material mixed with uncertified material?

YES

YESFSC Controlled

Wood

NO

Supplier field level verification

3 party audit

2 &3 party audit

FSC Controlled Wood standards Challenges……

• Facilitate implementation for secondary manufacturers and companies further down the FSC supply chain

• Ensure quality and consistency of 3rd party auditing (Train CBs)

• Ensure risk approach takes into account complex supply chains

FSC Controlled Wood Future developments….

FSC Controlled Wood Risk Register:• Web-based tool

• Facilitates the identification and assessment of risk from forest areas

• Forum for registered users to catalogue and communicate data on risk

FSC Database:

• Transparency and credibility on Risk assesment done by companies

• Facilitate the identification of CW and FSC certified sources

FSC Controlled Wood training Program:

• Focus on the needs for training of CBs and companies

The FSC Risk Register: key elements

FSC Risk Register

•Data viewed according to risk category or country and district

•Summary of potential risk provided

•Link to site where data is located is provided

… because forests matter