FSC® is an international non-governmental, independent and non-profit organization, established in 1993 to promote responsible management of forests and plantations. It includes among its members NGOs and environmental and social groups, forest owners, industries that trade and process wood and paper, large-scale distribution groups, researchers and technicians, for a total of almost 900 members.
The FSC labels identifies products containing wood from forests managed in a correct and responsible manner, according to rigorous environmental, social and economic standards, independently controlled and evaluated.
Responsible forest management ensures that a forest or forest plantation is managed in compliance with social, economic environmental standards, thus ensuring the conservation of the forests and the natural services they offer (CO2 stocks; biodiversity; water, soil and cultural-recreational function), the sustainability and traceability of the material.
Why is it important to ensure the sustainability of the wood supply chain? _
According to FAO data, between 2015 and 2020 deforestation destroyed 10 million hectares of forest every year, and today 1/3 of the timber sold on the market is illegal or comes from unclear origin. If we want to keep using this material for our products, we need to make sure that the management practices of the forest and the various steps along the supply chain are transparent and FSC-certified. This can help increase the credibility of a company and help consumers choose responsibly the products they buy.
What is the situation in Italy? _
In January 2021, almost 2,831 companies in our country decided to get certified according to FSC standards; 600 of these companies operate in one of Made in Italy’s most representative sectors: wood furniture. This has allowed the increase in the offer of products from sustainable supply chains, but has also increased the competitiveness of the sector: according to Symbola data (GreenItaly 2020), companies that have undertaken sustainability paths such as FSC certification have on average increased by 7 % its turnover and 10% exports in the last 5 years.
