FSC Forest Management Certification
SCS awards Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-endorsed certification to forest management operations that are well-managed in accordance with environmentally and socially responsible guidelines, as elaborated by the FSC Principles and Criteria. FSC certification is a voluntary, market-based system that allows companies to promote their forest products as originating from a well-managed forest. FSC is available to all types and sizes of organizations including private companies, government forestry agencies, timberland investment management organizations, indigenous peoples, consulting foresters, and groups of small landowners. By holding an FSC Forest Management (FM) certificate, companies gain the ability to market and sell products as FSC Certified.
SCS established its Forest Conservation Program (FCP) in 1991 to provide certification services for the forest products industry, making it one of the first certification programs to recognize responsible forest management practices. Subsequently, the SCS-FCP was among the first certification programs to become duly accredited to conduct independent, third-party Forest Management evaluations worldwide under the FSC umbrella.
Why Choose SCS?
SCS is one of the world’s leading FSC certifiers, and one of its founding members. We pride ourselves on possessing an intimate knowledge of the FSC protocols. Our assessments are robust, credible, and have an excellent track record of withstanding scrutiny from the FSC and its stakeholders. We have a dedicated professional staff to guide clients through the certification process. We are focused on customer service and, as such, are able to contract with certification applicants, deploy our auditors to the field, and make certification decisions in a timely manner.
With established FSC forest management programs across the U.S. as well as in Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Sweden, SCS has certified more than 15 million hectares. In the U.S., SCS is the leading certifier as measured by the number of acres certified as well as in the number of downstream Chain-of-Custody certificates issued.
Once your organization is certified, SCS will provide ongoing support for the program, including information about new and revised FSC requirements, a superior logo approval system with quick turnaround times, and ongoing staff assistance.
Certification Assessment Process
- Application
The first step toward certification is to complete the application form. An SCS staff member can provide you with all of the documentation relevant to your particular type of operation and will prepare a detailed proposal for your review and signature.
- Stakeholder Consultation
The SCS assessment team, typically consisting of experts in the relevant fields of forestry, ecology, social science, and economics, conducts stakeholder consultations to acquire outside input regarding the applicant’s management performance in relation to the FSC Principles and Criteria.
- On-Site Audit
The assessment team conducts an on-site audit to determine if the applicant’s management system is being implemented in conformance with the FSC standards. Forest conditions are also assessed. A report is produced that details the results of the evaluation.
- Report Review
The assessment report is reviewed by the applicant for factual accuracy, then submitted to independent peer review to validate the appropriateness of the team’s methodology and conclusions.
- Certification
Following peer review, the SCS certification committee reviews the report and decides whether or not to approve certification. If granted, a certificate is issued for a five-year period, subject to annual surveillance audits.
- Certification Maintenance
Once certified, your company will be listed on the FSC and SCS websites, and you will receive further information from SCS about the use of FSC and SCS trademarks for both on-product and off-product applications. Annual audits are required in order to maintain FSC certification.
Applications
- Forest Management, English - US, Adobe PDF
- Forest Management, English - US, MS Word
- Forest Management – Forest Application, Spanish, MS Word
- Forest Management – Forest Application, Portuguese, MS Word
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