Established in 1994, FSC enables businesses and consumers to make informed choices about the forest products they buy, and create positive change in the forest products market.
The WWF Forest Certification Assessment Tool (CAT) has shown that FSC, with its robust system and balanced decision-making process, provides the most credible forest certification scheme at present. Independent research also confirms that FSC certification has positive impacts on the environment, social development and governance.
The studies on this page, led or supported by WWF, provide further important insights into practical impacts of FSC certification on a company's bottom line and on the environment.
FSC is currently the forest certification scheme that best fulfills WWF’s requirements, as outlined in WWF Principles for Standards and Certification Schemes, and assessed by the WWF Forest Certification Assessment Tool (CAT).
WWF and forest management
Forest management that is environmentally sound, socially just and economically viable, can help meet society’s needs while preserving important conservation values, thereby increasing the value of a standing forest and preventing conversion to other land uses.
But forest certification has yet to provide much of a stimulant to spread locally controlled forest management. Despite many efforts to establish forest certification amongst small-scale forest managers and owners, its spread is limited because the high costs involve outweigh the tangible benefits.
Forests Forward wants to work specifically with this group of forest stewards on achieving positive forest outcomes. Where possible, synergies are being sought with initiatives supporting smallholders.
FSC Research Review
Social impacts of FSC certification
Environmental impacts of FSC certification
To meet the unprecedented challenges of our planet, we need action to conserve and restore nature ...
Low-impact logging practices in commercial tropical forests can contribute to wildlife protection ...
Recognising we can’t protect or manage what we don’t know, a decade ago, WWF and IKEA set out to ...
IKEA’s expanded IWAY Forestry Standard now covers bamboo, rattan and paper, adding almost 5m m3 RWE ...
Sustainably produced rattan helps secure vital habitat for wildlife while improving livelihoods.
The walk kicked off WWF-China's forest awareness campaign.
A new report published by WWF and ISEAL indicates how businesses can contribute strongly to the ...
South American timber giant Arauco received certification for 188,000 ha of forest.
Only the second energy company in the world to be FSC certified.
WWF calls on Resolute to work with FSC to address the challenges facing forest management in Canada.
