Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a non-profit organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC set high standards that ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable way.

Landowners and companies that sell timber or forest products seek certification as a way to verify to consumers that they have practiced forestry consistent with FSC standards. Independent certification organizations are accredited by FSC to carry out assessments of forest management to determine if standards have been met. These certifiers also verify that companies claiming to sell FSC certified products have tracker their supply back to FSC certified sources. This chain of custody certification assures that consumers can trust the FSC label.

A product marked as FSC certified has been approved by the Forest Stewardship Council after demonstrating adherence to 10 principles which covers everything from environmental to community issues. Its strict guidelines ban harvesting more than what grows back, tree replacement by plantations, use of toxic chemicals and genetically modified trees. The FSC also strives to protect biodiversity, rivers and streams, rare and ancient trees, and to support indigenous people.

For more information about FSC at the International level, please visit www.fsc.org.