Avoiding greenwashing: New FSC policy out for consultation

2 November 2007 

In future, ‘greenwashing’ of forestry operations through partial FSC certification may become more difficult. The FSC has responded to increasing stakeholder concerns over this issue by releasing a new draft policy: FSC-POL-20-002 V3 Policy for the Association with the FSC. The policy is under public consultation during the period 19 October to 18 November 2007.

Partial certification has been an issue of debate since the early days of the FSC. A policy on the issue (FSC-POL-20-002 Partial Certification of Large Ownerships) was adopted already in June 2000. However, stakeholders have repeatedly pointed out potential flaws of this policy, which allows a company to benefit from the good publicity associated with certification of a part of its operations, even if other parts of its operations are not in compliance with the FSC requirements or even controversial.

Addressing these concerns, the FSC has developed a new approach to the issue of partial certification, outlined in the draft "Policy for the association with the FSC" (FSC-POL-20-002 version 3 ). The policy describes specific criteria which must be fulfilled in order to allow the association of a third party with FSC’s name and trademarks. 

Main points of the policy

The policy requires organizations seeking to associate themselves with the FSC – for exampe through FSC certification – to declare that they are not in any way associated with the following:

a) Illegal logging or the trade in illegal wood or forest products
b) Violation of traditional and civil rights in forestry operations
c) Destruction of high conservation values in forestry operations
d) Conversion of forests to plantations or non-forest use
e) Planting of genetically modified trees in forestry operations
f) Other activities that may bring FSC’s good name into disrepute, negatively impact on FSC’s credibility or contradict FSC’s values and mission.

It is further stressed that this declaration covers direct as well as indirect association. For example, a mother organization may be associated with the above issues through the actions of one of its subsidiaries.

Any cases where organizations are not able to make such a declaration, or where evidence shows that the declaration may not be accurate, will be further investigated by a new FSC Ethics Committee. 

Need for further adjustment

NEPCon finds that the proposed policy needs further revision before it can be used. The current draft policy has unpredictable consequences for international companies working around the globe with relations to many different forest activities.

A few examples: Will a company branch in Sweden be excluded from using the FSC trademark because another branch of its mother concern has been involved in trial planting of GMOs elsewhere in the world? Also, it is not clearly stated if the company declaration should cover only the present situation or also the situation in the past. And it is not specified what constitutes a satisfactory declaration, or what level of inaccuracy of the declaration would lead to exclusion from FSC certification.

Get involved

Any comments on the draft policy should be sent to a.freitas@fsc.org. The closing date of the consultation period is the 18th of November 2007.