Forest Stewardship Council
It is the certification system for forests, wood and derived products that ensures that the products come from forests managed pursuant to strict environmental, social and economic standards.
The Forest Stewardship Council is the non-profit organization born in Mexico in 1994 and transferred to Bonn in 2003 that issues the certification necessary in order to be able to use the label on the basis of audits performed on the forests where the wood is extracted and in the course of all subsequent production phases, down to the consumer, and that concern environmental and social-ethical aspects.
It is a label similar to Type I for the existence of a third certification body. The FSC forest management principles can be summarized in ten points:
Principle#1. Compliance with laws
The Organization shall comply with all applicable laws, regulations and nationally-ratified international treaties, conventions and agreements.
Principle#2. Workers’ rights and employment conditions
The Organization shall maintain or enhance the social and economic well-being of workers.
Principle#3. Indigenous peoples’ rights
The Organization shall identify and uphold indigenous peoples’ legal and customary rights of ownership, use and management of land, territories and resources affected by management activities.
Principle#4. Community relations
The Organization shall contribute to maintaining or enhancing the social and economic well-being of local communities.
Principle#5. Benefits from the forest
The Organization shall efficiently manage the range of multiple products and services of the Management Unit to maintain or enhance long term economic viability and the range of environmental and social benefits.
Principle#6. Environmental values and impact
The Organization shall maintain, conserve and/or restore ecosystem services and environmental values of the Management Unit, and shall avoid, repair or mitigate negative environmental impacts.
Principle#7. Management planning
The Organization shall have a management plan consistent with its policies and objectives and proportionate to scale, intensity and risks of its management activities. The management plan shall be implemented and kept up to date based on monitoring information in order to promote adaptive management. The associated planning and procedural documentation shall be sufficient to guide staff, inform affected stakeholders and interested stakeholders and to justify management decisions.
Principle#8. Monitoring and assessment
The Organization shall demonstrate that progress towards achieving the management objectives, the impacts of management activities and the condition of the Management Unit, are monitored and evaluated proportionate to the scale, intensity and risk of management activities, in order to implement adaptive management.
Principle#9. High conservation values
The Organization shall maintain and/or enhance the high conservation values in the Management Unit through applying the precauiotnary approach.
Principle#10. Implementation of management activities
Management activities conducted by or for the Organization for the Management Unit shall be selected and implemented consistent with the Organization’s economic, environmental and social policies and objectives, and in compliance with the Principles and Criteria collectively.