The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a non-profit organization with the mission of promoting environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests. The council encourages trade in certified products and supports the establishment of sustainable forestry policies in the countries it works with. FSC has certified more than 80 million hectares of forests in over 100 countries. This council is unique because it focuses on many different factors that affect the sustainability of forests. These factors include forestry, finance, community outreach, education, and market opportunities. They have created a report that not only gives information about what’s happening with each factor but also has a plan for how to improve each one.
Principles of FSC:
The principles of the FSC are to protect forests from damage, preserve people’s rights, promote community relations, and ensure benefits from the forest. It is essential for organizations to consider the environmental impacts of their activities. They are required to take this into account when carrying out their operations and planning for future development. This entails assessing the potential impacts on the environment, identifying and implementing appropriate management practices, monitoring progress and assessing performance.
The FSC also sets out five categories of benefits that are expected from the forest: environmental services, economic value, cultural value, social value, and spiritual value.
Benefits of implementing FSC certification:
Forest certification was created to protect the world’s forests and wildlife from deforestation, human rights abuse and global warming. Forest certification is a process by which forests are assessed for sustainability by independent parties and verified. This process requires the organization to be financially transparent, to have representatives that meet with communities on a regular basis, and is accountable to their community. The international credibility of forest certification can help these organizations be more accepted in foreign markets. Forest certification is one of many tools that can be used alongside other conservation efforts to help protect forests.
It improves the business process control through process standardization and helps an organization gain international recognition. It is not an easy process however, as there are a number of steps involved in attaining this badge of honor. Get certified with FSC consulting, implementation, training and certification consultancy services offered with Sterling International Consulting in Philippines. Contact us today !