FSC certification

FSC certification status and advantages

Shanghai Qiangjing Enterprise Management Consulting Co., Ltd. www.shchange.com.cn

By the end of 2003, approximately 45 million hectares of forests in the world had been certified as sustainable forest management by FSC, and 644 forest management units had been certified. Approximately 92% of these forests are located in Canada, Finland, Germany, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the United States. In China, only 2 forest management units have obtained sustainable management certification, and the certified forest area is only 6,177 hectares.

At the same time, 66 countries worldwide have obtained COC certification, and the number of certification units has reached 3,220. There are currently 88 units in China that have obtained COC certification, including wholly-owned and joint ventures in Taiwan and Hong Kong. 

At present, with the rapid development of China's economy, my country's forest product exports are increasing year by year. In 2003, furniture exports alone amounted to 3.6 billion U.S. dollars, and it has become the second largest furniture exporter after the United States. How to eliminate the growing "green barriers" is becoming a topic that my country's forest industry needs to face. It is understood that eight European countries, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, are more sensitive to environmental issues. These countries are the main markets for a considerable proportion of my country's forest products exports.

In recent years, the EU has formulated specific policies for some imported commodities, including forest products. On the one hand, the fsc forest certification requires government procurement to purchase products that meet EU requirements; on the other hand, it adopts the so-called "trade incentive arrangement" policy, that is, if the goods exported to EU countries include forest products, the production process is in line with EU requirements. Upon request, you can enjoy a certain percentage of tariff discounts. The Chinese government is applying to the European Union for the "Trade Encouragement Arrangement" for forest products. Dr. Lu Wenming of the Chinese Academy of Forestry said that if China's forest products exported to the EU are labeled with FSC, it is very likely to obtain the EU's "Trade Incentive Arrangement", which is undoubtedly an opportunity for Chinese export-oriented wood processing companies. Experts believe that domestic forest certification must have been promoted by export companies from the beginning. This is because they either buy higher-priced FSC-certified imported wood (usually logs or sawn timber), or they pay for the certification of the forest management unit where the raw materials are purchased at their own expense. Of the two forest management units assessed by China's FSC, a state-owned forest farm and a forest development company are both certified by the export company that purchases its raw materials.

At the same time, another 77 domestic wood processing companies have obtained FSC chain of custody certification. They are also mainly export-oriented furniture manufacturers exporting to European and American countries. Some analysts believe that although forest certification has little impact on China's general wood processing companies, the export trade of foreign-oriented wood processing companies has a greater impact. If they do not adapt to the situation immediately, these companies will gradually lose their already owned European and American international market shares, even if their products are high in quality and low in price.

Obtaining forest certification and improving the company's social image of protecting the environment has become the choice of more and more international forest product companies. The long-term goal of IKEA, one of the giants in the global home furnishing retail industry, is to make all the wood used come from well-managed forests. At present, IKEA's largest source of raw material procurement in the world is China, and they have also begun to put forward forest certification requirements for wood provided by China.

Advantages of FSC certification

There are currently two global forest certification systems in the world, namely the FSC system and the International Organization for Standardization system; two regional systems, namely the Pan-European Forest Certification System and the Pan-African Forest Certification System; and there are more than 10 national forest certification systems. Organizations that establish these certification systems are not directly involved in certification. Their responsibility is to formulate certification standards and authorize certification bodies, and to certify forests through authorized certification bodies.

FSC certification is highly recognized by the market worldwide. The global forest certification system supported by non-governmental environmental organizations and trade organizations is currently a relatively mature and complete forest certification system. FSC certification results are recognized and accepted all over the world, and some national forest certification systems cannot cover the entire world.

As of April 15, 2009, 112.85 million hectares of forests in 81 countries around the world have obtained FM certification and 13,043 COC certificates.