What is FSC®? They are an international non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting responsible forestry. FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®) certifies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards. Products made with wood and paper from FSC® forests are marked with our 'tick tree' logo. When you see this logo, you can be confident that buying it won't mean harming the world's forests. How does the FSC® system work? Forests are inspected and certified against strict standards based on FSC®'s 10 Principles of Forest Stewardship. These inspections are undertaken by independent organisations, such as the Soil Association, that are accredited by the FSC®. In order to be given FSC® certification a forest must be managed in an environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable manner. This is what makes the FSC® system unique and ensures that a forest is well-managed from the protection of indigenous people's rights to the methods of felling trees. Forests that meet these strict standards are given FSC® certification and the timber allowed to carry the FSC® label. How can I be sure that the product really does come from an FSC® well-managed forest? In addition to forest certification, the FSC® system includes a certified chain of custody that tracks the timber through every stage in the supply chain from the forest to the final user. This is monitored through the invoicing process and the final label on the product has a code that confirms that the item is genuinely FSC®. What does the FSC® label mean? The Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) logo on a wood or wood based product is your assurance that it is made with wood that comes from FSC® certified forests, other controlled sources and / or from post-consumer waste. There are three types of FSC® label: FSC® 100%, FSC® Mix or FSC® Recycled. How does FSC® differ from other forest certification schemes? There are a number of other forest certification schemes around but they do not have the same strict environmental, social and economic standards or such a rigorous chain of custody; tracking timber from the forest to the final user. FSC® is therefore the only forest certification scheme endorsed by the major environment charities including WWF, Greenpeace and the Woodland Trust.