Newsletter Stories


Saturday, 01 May 2004
Frequently Asked Questions about FSC

Do you have a FAQ about FSC that you would like to see included in a future edition of News and Views? If so, please email kmiller at fscus point org.


What’s the difference between a Forest Management certificate and a Chain-of-Custody certificate?

Forest landowners or managers can contact an accredited FSC certifier if they are interested in seeking Forest Management certification. Certifiers engage in a contractual relationship with the landowner/manager to assess forest management against the FSC standard approved for the region where the forest is located. The general public is notified about certification assessments before they take place so that the certifiers, helping to assure the integrity of the process, can hear a full range of voices. At the close, an assessment summary report is made public, while at the same time keeping the company’s proprietary information confidential. If the forest management operations assessed quality for certification, the landowner can choose to sign a certification contract. This event results in their receiving a “Forest Management certification” and brings with it the landowner’s commitment to continue to practice forestry in a certifiable fashion.

For those companies who manufacture or trade certified products, a different form of certification applies. To insure the credibility of claims on products, it is important to track materials as they leave the FSC-certified forest and become products down stream. This “Chain-of-Custody” (COC) certification process is quite simple. Like any inventory control system, COC allows products to be segregated and identified as having come from a particular source— in this case, an FSC-certified forest. If you are interested in COC certification, please contact an FSC-accredited certifier.

Who do I contact if I want to get certified?

If you are interested in obtaining an FSC certification, please contact an FSC-accredited certifier. They will be able to provide you with information regarding how the assessment process works, costs, and a timeline for certification completion. A complete list of accredited certifiers can be found at www.fscus.org/certifiers/.

Who do I contact regarding rules for use of the logo?

  •  If you are a certificate holder, you must obtain logo information and permission from your certifier for both on and off-product logo use.
  •  If you are not a certificate holder and are located in the U.S., please contact Katie Miller, FSC-US Communications Director, at kmiller@fscus.org.
  • If you are not a certificate holder and are located outside of the U.S., please refer to the list of Nominated Agents located on FSC International’s website www.fscoax.org.

How do I keep track of changes in FSC policy?

FSC prides itself on the transparency of our certification system. Members and certificate holders are always welcome to comment on proposed policy changes.

You can go to the websites of FSC-US (www.fscus.org) and FSC International (www.fscoax.org). You can also subscribe to the newsletters of FSC-US (contact Katie Miller at kmiller@fscus.org) and FSC Inter-national (contact Zandra Martinez at zandra@fscoax.org). Certifiers will also provide periodic updates to their clients. For a specific policy question, you are also welcome to call your certifier or FSC-US (            202-342-0413      ) at any time.

Who do I call for marketing help?

For marketing help, you may contact your certifier or Michael Washburn, the Vice President of Forestry and Marketing for FSC-US (email mwashburn@fscus.org). For companies marketing FSC-certified paper, we have an expert consultant who offers training for sales and marketing staff. You may contact Michael Washburn for details about this program.