Then, several NGOs in Europe and North America have begun to structure campaigns to boycott the consumption of tropical timber.

The rationale was to reduce demand, resulting in decreased pressure on tropical forests.

The forest industry response to the pressures and movements of a boycott was the use of declarations and seals themselves, or entities controlled by them, attesting that the products manufactured were green. In the early 90s, some NGOs have analyzed the accuracy of self certifications.
The result was that almost all of the self certification could not be established with clear and objective in the field and a significant portion of seals were completely false.

In the late 80 WWF began - in many countries and especially in England - a dialogue with importers and consumers of tropical timber to remove the offending these self certified and supported the creation of a universal system of certification, with clear criteria and can be audited and monitored by independent institutions.

In 1990 he had an embryo of what would become the FSC, which was only formally structured in 1993. From 1990 to 1993 were triggered consultation processes in different countries with the objective to support the process of creating this new institution.

Needed is about opportunity, feasibility, risks and strategies for creating an international system of certification. In Brazil this information was coordinated by the NGO working group for forest policy. During six months Several workshops were held in Piracicaba, Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Belem and Sao Paulo, and were sent questionnaires to more than 300 institutions and individuals in the forestry sector.

Thus, in October 1993 was held in Toronto, the Board of the FSC Foundation, with the participation of representatives of the North and South, divided into chambers social, environmental and economic. The meeting was attended by more than 10 Brazilians and Brazil was the country most represented in the institution. Currently the NGO headquarters is in Bonn, Germany.


Certification categories FSC:

Forest management: It assesses environmental, social and economic management of a particular forest unit. Importantly, assessment extends beyond the boundaries of the property in order to verify the institution relationship with its neighbors. For this purpose, are made public consultations with stakeholders such as NGOs in the region, unions, etc. Forest management follows the triple bottom line:


Chain of custody (COC): This concept applies to entrepreneurs that process raw materials from forests certified. At the end ensures product traceability. In this mode, graphics can be sure, sawmills, pulp and paper industry, cosmetics industry, furniture industry, distilleries, companies generally wooden utensils, etc.


The following are the 10 principles of FSC:

Principle 1: Compliance with Laws and Principles FSC
Forest management shall respect all applicable laws of the country where it operates, international treaties and agreements signed by Turkey, and comply with all FSC Principles and Criteria.

Principle 2: Responsibilities and rights of ownership and land use
The rights of ownership and long-term use to the land and forest resources shall be clearly defined, documented and legally established.

Principle 3: Rights of Indigenous Peoples
The legal and customary rights of indigenous peoples to own, use and manage their lands, territories and resources shall be recognized and respected.

Principle 4: Community Relations and Workers Rights
The forest management activities must maintain or enhance the economic well-being and social long-term forest workers and local communities.

Principle 5: Benefits from the Forest
Forest management operations shall encourage the efficient use of multiple forest products and services to ensure economic viability and a wide range of environmental and social benefits.

Principle 6: Environmental Impact
Forest management shall conserve biological diversity and its associated values?, water resources, soils, and the fragile ecosystems and landscapes and unique, and in so doing, maintain the ecological functions and integrity of the forest.

Principle 7: Management Plan
A management plan - appropriate to the scale and intensity of the operations - shall be written, implemented and updated. The long-term objectives of forest management and the means to achieve them should be clearly defined.

Principle 8: Monitoring and Evaluation
Monitoring should be conducted - appropriate to the scale and intensity of forest management - to assess the condition of the forest, yields of forest products, chain of custody, management activities and their environmental and social impacts.

Principle 9: Maintenance of forests of high conservation value
The forest management activities in high conservation value forests shall maintain or enhance the attributes which define such forests. Decisions related to forests of high conservation value should always be considered in the context of an approach rogatory.

Principle 10: Plantations
Plantations shall be planned and managed in accordance with the Principles and Criteria 1-9, and Principle 10 and its Criteria. While plantations can provide an array of social and economic benefits, and contribute to meeting global needs for forest products, it is recommended that they complement the management of, reduce pressures, and promote the restoration and conservation of natural forests.