FSC®
FSC® stands for Forest Stewardship Council and is dedicated to responsible forest management. Responsible forest management is of great importance to society as a whole. Your customers and end users increasingly want assurance that the products they buy are actually made from wood sourced from responsibly managed forests. The FSC® label provides that assurance. The goal of FSC® is to ensure the traceability of the FSC®-certified paper and wood used from responsibly managed forests. An order can be produced using this responsibly sourced wood or paper. In addition, the customer can have the FSC® logo placed on the product. This serves as proof that the product from you or your customer has been produced in a careful and responsible manner.
In 2026, FSC International will introduce two updated standards: a revised Chain of Custody standard (STD-40-004) and an updated FSC logo standard (STD-50-001), including guidelines for promotional use.
on FSC Logo Use The new logo standard aligns with international legislation against greenwashing. It will take effect on July 1, 2026, with a transition period of 2.5 years. A new platform is available for downloading logos: the FSC Brand Hub, which is already available for use.
Core Labor Requirements The updated Chain of Custody standard will be published later this year and places greater emphasis on monitoring the Core Labor Requirements. Starting in January, assessments will begin to determine whether the policy statement on this matter is actively shared with employees. Simply stating that it is “available upon request” is no longer sufficient.
Outsourcing
The rules governing outsourced work are also being tightened. Outsourcing agreements must explicitly include the fundamental terms and conditions of employment. In addition, a self-assessment regarding these terms and conditions must be available for each outsourcing provider, or this information must be included in the company’s own self-assessment.
Our approach
The consultants at the Service Center can help you set up and maintain an FSC® system. They will ensure that the blueprint materials are tailored to your company’s needs and prepare your company for certification.
Basics
- Only FSC®-certified companies are permitted to sell FSC® products.
- A certified company receives two unique numbers.
- The international database lists all FSC®-certified companies.
Custom
Only FSC®-certified companies are permitted to sell FSC® products. These products can be identified by the FSC® label. FSC® certification therefore applies to both forest managers and companies in the supply chain. A certified company receives two unique numbers: the certificate number and a license code for using the label.
These codes allow certified products to be tracked throughout the entire supply chain. All FSC®-certified companies can be found in the international database using either of these two numbers.
Enter
Your consultant will guide you through the process of obtaining your FSC® certification. In practice, organizations often lack the time and internal resources to review and implement these standards. The Service Center can assist you with this.
Maintain
Once the system is set up, it is important that you keep it up to date at all times. Your in-house consultant can easily take on the role of external coordinator and will help you maintain your FSC® certification.
Conducting audit
We advise you on how to meet the requirements for the FSC® label. This is done through a so-called second-party audit. We provide guidance on implementing the FSC® label within your organization. Organizing internal audits is the best first step toward certification.
Certify
You will receive the certificate following a successful external audit conducted by a certification body. We can also assist you in obtaining individual certification or joining the Service Center’s FSC® Group.