FSC Certified
The Official Standard
Forest management shall maintain or enhance the long-term social and economic well-being of forest workers and local communities.
Sites of special cultural, ecological, economic, or religious significance to indigenous peoples shall be clearly identified in cooperation with such peoples, and formally recognized and protected.
Conversion of forests to plantations or non-forest land uses shall not occur.
What This Really Means
The **Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC)** is the world's most trusted forest certification system. When you see the FSC label on a product—like a wooden hairbrush, bamboo packaging, or paper-wrapped bar soap—it means the wood or paper in that product comes from a forest that is managed responsibly.
"Responsibly managed" is not a vague claim under FSC. It means the forest management organization has been independently audited against ten core Principles and 70+ Criteria covering economic, environmental, and social dimensions of forest management. Critically, these include protecting biodiversity and wildlife habitats, prohibiting the conversion of natural forests into plantations, recognizing the rights of indigenous peoples, and ensuring that forest workers receive fair wages and safe conditions.
FSC's **Chain of Custody (CoC)** certification is what allows you to trust the label you see on a store shelf. Every company in the supply chain—the logger, the sawmill, the paper mill, the printer, and the retailer—must hold an FSC Chain of Custody certificate. This creates an unbroken, auditable trail from the certified forest all the way to the finished product.
By choosing FSC-certified products, you are actively supporting a global standard that fights deforestation, protects ecosystems that are critical to climate stability, and champions social justice for forest communities worldwide.
Checklist for Verification
- ✓ Forest management must maintain or enhance biodiversity.
- ✓ Rights of indigenous peoples must be respected.
- ✓ Workers must receive fair pay and safe working conditions.
- ✓ Chain-of-custody tracking from forest to finished product.