FSC

FSC commonly refers to the Forest Stewardship Council, an international non-profit organization that promotes sustainable forest management through independent certification and labeling. The FSC was established in 1993 to create a global framework in which forests can be managed with attention to ecological, social, and economic values. The organization operates a certification system that verifies responsible forest management and the traceability of forest-based products from forest to consumer.

There are two main certification streams. Forest Management (FM) certification assesses the practices of a forest operation to ensure they meet environmental and social standards. Chain of Custody (CoC) certification tracks material through the supply chain, ensuring that products bearing FSC labels originate from FSC-certified forests, from recycled sources, or from a controlled mix of materials. The FSC standards rest on ten principles and criteria that address biodiversity and ecosystems, indigenous peoples’ rights, workers’ rights, legality, and long-term forest productivity. Certification is carried out by independent, FSC-accredited certification bodies.

Product labels indicate different material origins: FSC 100% indicates all fibers come from FSC-certified forests; FSC Mix allows a combination of FSC-certified materials, recycled materials, and controlled wood; FSC Recycled is derived from post-consumer and/or pre-consumer recycled wood and fiber. The label system is designed to enable traceability and consumer confidence in sustainable sourcing.

Global reach and governance are provided by a network of national FSC bodies and an international board that oversees standards and policy development. The FSC has been influential in expanding market incentives for responsible forestry, though it faces ongoing critique regarding enforcement, consistency across regions, and the complexity of the chain-of-custody system. In other contexts, FSC can refer to different organizations or concepts, but the Forest Stewardship Council is the most widely recognized usage.