From: Ethical Corporation Magazine
The Forest Stewardship Council is under pressure from environmental activists to reform its sustainable forestry certification system
It had all been going so well. Timber users and traders, social groups and environmental NGOs came together to establish the Forest Stewardship Council in 1993 to introduce worldwide sustainable forestry standards. Within a year, the multi-stakeholder initiative introduced the FSC certification scheme, which went on to become – and still is – the most recognisable label for sustainable wood products.
Over the years, FSC has become the label of choice for those wanting to use wood from sustainable forests and plantations. A large number of multinational companies – including Gap, Nike, Body Shop, Ikea, Fedex, Coca-Cola, Alcan, Dell, Starbucks, Goldman Sachs, the BBC and Google – insist on buying FSC certified wood and paper products as part of their sustainability commitments. Leading green building certification scheme LEED requires use of at least 50% of wood materials in construction from FSC certified sources. A host of universities, government agencies and non-governmental organisations choose FSC certified wood and paper products.
Not surprising then that the architects of New York’s upcoming high profile public park High Line decided to use FSC certified Amazon wood for seating and decking. But they were surprised when activists from Rainforest Relief and New York Climate Action Group – both environmental groups based in the city – descended on the park in September to protest against the use of any wood from Amazon forests. Activists claimed that the wood came from the Amazon’s ancient forests, which they believe should not be harvested for industrial use. They also attacked FSC for certifying logging in these forests as sustainable.