FSC New Labeling Guidelines
Highlights
Public Summaries/Annual Audit Updates
New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation Achieves FSC Certification
SCS Carbon Verification Program certifies first two CCAR Forestry Carbon Offset Projects
SCS earns CCX approval to verify forestry carbon offset projects
SCS and FSC Cited in High Profile Forestry Story (external link)
SCS working to verify forest carbon sequestration (see p. 3)
Profile of Jim Quinn, former president and CEO of SCS Certified Collins Pine Companies
SCS Awards Second FSC-Certificate in Papua New Guinea (external link, see p. 4)
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) supports the growth of responsible forest management worldwide through its international standards. A key ingredient to program success is guidelines for labeling wood products coming from certified forests and also for incorporating the FSC logo into promotional materials (e.g., brochures, websites, etc).
In late 2004, the FSC Board of Directors finalized the FSC On-Product Labeling Requirements (download here), which specifies the correct on-product use of the FSC label and related claims by certificate holders. As an accredited Certification Body, Scientific Certification Systems is responsible for ensuring proper use of the FSC trademarks.
All existing and new chain of custody certificate holders wishing to apply the FSC label on-product must comply with the new standard by July 1, 2005.
This website is designed to be a clearinghouse of information related to the FSC’s new on-product labeling requirements. Although new requirements related to promotional use of the FSC mark (i.e., off-product uses) are being updated, they have not yet been finalized and approved by the FSC Board of Directors.
FSC Product Labeling Guide
This guide specifies the requirements for use of the FSC Product Labeling System
to ensure consistent and correct use of FSC labels on products. It’s important
to note that the new FSC labels cannot be altered in anyway except for the insertion
of the correct certification code. We recommend that you use the Adobe Illustrator
(eps) files if possible, as these are the the easiest files to modify. However
if you decide to use the .jpeg or .tiff files please click
here for detailed instructions on inserting your certification code.
There are three categories or label types with the new guidelines:
- FSC 100%
- FSC Mixed Sources
- FSC Recycled
FSC 100% label
Products with a 100% FSC label come from forests certified as being in compliance with the environmental and social standards of the Forest Stewardship Council.
FSC Mixed Sources label
Products with a Mixed Sources label support the development of responsible forest management worldwide. The Mixed Sources label replaces the FSC's old system for Percentage Based Claims under the new standard. Under the Mixed Sources program, wood comes from FSC certified well managed forests, company controlled sources and/or recycled material.
Company controlled sources are controlled, in accordance with FSC standards, to exclude illegally harvested timber, forests where high conservation values are threatened, genetically modified organisms, violation of people’s civil and traditional rights, and wood from forests harvested for the purpose of converting the land to plantations or other non-forest use.
The recycling symbol identifies post-consumer recycled content in these products.
