Benefits of certification

Environmental benefits

The main motivation for many of the FSC's members at the start was environmental: to create a certification system that would guarantee to everyone participating in the forest industry that their contribution was helping to protect, rather than to destroy the forests. FSC's environmeforntal criteria recognises that forest management should:

• Conserve biological diversity and its values: water resources, soils, unique and fragile ecosytems and landscapes

• Maintain the ecological functions and integrity of the forest

• Protect threatened and endangered species and their habitats

Social benefits

The FSC's concept of sustainable forest management aims to ensure that human rights for local communities and forest workers are respected.

To meet the social criteria laid down by the FSC, all certified forestry operations must seek permission from indigenous groups before forestry work can begin. Those local people who have traditionally used the forests for collecting fruits, firewood, building materials or medicinal plants, must still have access to the forests which offer them a livelihood.

Economic benefits

Certification can enhance profitability.

The FSC's economic criteria state that forest managers should seek to minimise waste in harvesting and on-site processing, and strive to strengthen and diversify the local economy, avoiding dependence on a single forest product.

Certified forestry operations are reaping excellent economic rewards, some of which include:

• FSC certificates facilitating access to new markets

• FSC certified timber achieving a higher price in the market than equivalent uncertified timber

• FSC certification audit showing up wasteful practices