Newsletter Stories


Friday, 12 July 2013
Extension to Sign Self-Declaration

July 12, 2013


FSC International has postponed the date to December 31, 2013 by which Chain-of-Custody certificate holders must sign the FSC Self-Declaration (regarding FSC-POL-01-004). Currently, certificate holders who choose not to sign the Self-Declaration are receiving major Corrective Action Requests (CARs) from their auditors. FSC is allowing these CARs to remain open until December 31, 2013. The purpose of the extension is to allow sufficient time for revisions to the Self Declaration, particularly to references of the ILO Core Conventions. The current language is considered by some companies to contradict US and Canadian laws and/or restrict certain fundamental rights.  

A consortium of primarily large US and Canadian Chain-of-Custody certificate holders is continuing to negotiate with FSC International and labor rights representatives from FSC’s Social Chamber to determine acceptable revisions to the Self Declaration. It is FSC International’s intention that the revised Self Declaration will used uniformly across FSC global Chain-of-Custody certificate holder base.