Organization name :	Forest Stewardship Council
Country :	Germany

Alcan Prize 2004 Winner

Forest Stewardship Council
www.fsc.org

Testimonial
‘The FSC reports that its entire Global Network was boosted forward by the Alcan Prize, above and beyond its financial implications, the worldwide publicity and recognition received, and the credibility gained. The Prize has been an impetus for enhanced financial performance and operational development within the organization.’




Profile

Mission
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) aims to promote environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests, by establishing recognized and respected forest stewardship standards and a system for certifying and recognizing conformity with these standards. The FSC concept of responsible forest management is articulated in its 10 Principles for Forest Stewardship which include compliance with laws and FSC Principles, the rights of indigenous people, usage and tenure, and workers, benefits from the forest and environmental impact, managing and monitoring.

Background
Founded soon after the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 by a group of social, environmental and industrial organizations, FSC now has an international center in Bonn, Germany, and 33 national initiatives supported by four regional offices in Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia/Pacific. The organization now counts over 500 members from more than 60 countries including Friends of the Earth, the WorldWide Fund for Nature (WWF), social organizations representing forest-dependent communities, indigenous people, small enterprises and socially responsible corporates including B&Q and Ikea.

The FSC issued its first forest management certificate in 1993, and now over 42 million hectares in 62 countries have been registered. Within the broader industry, FSC standards provide a benchmark for forest managers seeking to harvest wood in a sustainable way.

Partnerships
The FSC is an international association of members and it applies the principles of democracy, inclusion and transparency in its decision-making and standards development processes, in its balanced membership and in the integrity of its standards and certificates. Partners include:

• other NGOs, with whom it works collaboratively
• the corporate sector, who contribute funds and employee time as well as sell FSC accredited products
• independent, third-party certification bodies, who are accredited by the FSC
• governments, with whom it works to influence and guide policy.

Impact Achieved
FSC was established as a solution to growing conflict over global forest management. Today it’s most obvious indicator of success is the 42 million hectares of forest that have been certified to FSC standards. But in addition to this, in ten years FSC has:

• advanced its mission of promoting sustainable, responsible forestry through its influence on the global forestry industry
• provided standards that serve as both a target and benchmark for forest managers
• created a market for FSC certified products and shown a financial benefit to gaining FSC certification
• improved quality of life and alleviated poverty for indigenous forest-dependent people and workers
• has developed a global infrastructure to support its not for profit membership-based organization.

Contact
For more information please email