Forest Stewardship Council

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international organization that brings people together to find solutions which promote responsible stewardship of the world’s forests.

• FSC is a stakeholder owned system for promoting responsible management of the world’s forests.
• Through consultative processes, it sets international standards for responsible forest management.
• It accredits independent third party organizations who can certify forest managers and forest product producers to FSC standards.
• It's trademark provides international recognition to organizations who support the growth of responsible forest management.
• It's product label allows consumers worldwide to recognize products that support the growth of responsible forest management worldwide.
• FSC undertakes marketing programs and information services that contribute to the mission of promoting responsible forestry worldwide.
• Over the past 13 years, over 90 million hectares in more than 70 countries have been certified according to FSC standards while several thousand products are produced using FSC-certified wood and carrying the FSC trademark. FSC operates through its network of National Initiatives in 45 countries.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) shall promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests. Environmentally appropriate forest management ensures that the harvest of timber and non-timber products maintains the forest's biodiversity, productivity and ecological processes. Socially beneficial forest management helps both local people and society at large to enjoy long term benefits and also provides strong incentives to local people to sustain the forest resources and adhere to long-term management plans.

Economically viable forest management means that forest operations are structured and managed so as to be sufficiently profitable, without generating financial profit at the expense of the forest resources, the ecosystem or affected communities. The tension between the need to generate adequate financial returns and the principles of responsible forest operations can be reduced through efforts to market forest products for their best value.