The Forest Management Council (FSC) is a stakeholder-owned system, whose purpose is to promote responsible global forest operations. It provides standard formulation, trademark assurance, accreditation services and market access to companies and organizations interested in responsible forests. As of January 2006, the FSC has recognized 15 certification bodies, and the certified enterprises have the right to use the FSC logo.
Background profile
The global forest problem is becoming increasingly prominent: the forest area is decreasing and the forest degradation is intensifying. Forest resources are declining in quantity (area) and quality (ecosystem diversity), and some consumers in Europe and the United States refuse to buy wood products without legal sources.
Found
At the 1990 US California Conference, some representatives of consumers, timber trade organizations, and environmental and human rights organizations saw the need to create an honest and credible system to identify well-run forests as an acceptable source of forest products. The meeting concluded that the system should include a global public opinion definition of good forest operations, an independent review of forest operations, and a global umbrella organization. The name of the Forest Management Council (FSC-Forest Stewardship Council) was thus created.
In October 1993,130 delegates from 26 countries established the FSC Council in Toronto, Canada, and elected the Board of Directors.
The FSC is an independent, non-profit NGOs whose mission is to promote environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable forest operations worldwide through developing widely recognized principles and standards for forest management. The FSC consists of representatives from environmental protection organizations from over 70 countries, timber trade associations, government forestry departments, local residents' organizations, social forestry groups, and wood product certification bodies. Its international center was originally located in Oaxaca, the capital of Oaxaca state, Mexico, and moved to Bonn, Germany in February 2003. FSC is a relatively mature and perfect forest certification system.
