FSC® Chain of Custody – is your product FSC-certified? 

Understanding the Chain of Custody for FSC (Forest Stewardship Council®) certified products is important for customers to know whether their purchases support responsible forestry practices. The chain of custody set by the FSC guarantees that materials originating from responsible forestry will remain traceable throughout the supply chain.

Understanding the Chain of Custody

The flow of the chain of custody is as follows:

Responsible forestry (FSC compliant) -> FSC certified paper mill -> FSC certified converter -> End user.

At every stage, the chain node must follow FSC standards. However, as a customer, you only need to be concerned at the converter level.

The converters have FSC credit claims, including FSC 100%, FSC Mix Credit, or FSC Mix XX%. This credit claim indicates the amount of responsible forestry content in their product. An annual audit by a certified auditor will be conducted to ensure each organization in the chain of custody complies with its claims. Converters that fail to meet FSC standards will lose their certification. 

Non-FSC-certified converters purchasing raw materials are not strictly audited, leading to unverifiable product sources. It’s important to note that to claim the product comes from FSC-certified sources, the converter must also have an FSC certification; without it, no claims can be made. Lastly, customers are entitled to request proof of certification from their converter to confirm the legitimacy of their claims. To ensure that your product is compliant with FSC, make sure you purchase from certified converters.

Ensuring Compliance with FSC Standards

Auditors play an important role in verifying where the material is sourced and confirming that mills maintain their FSC certification. Converters must comply with the standards set by FSC in terms of material usage and handling. This includes the physical separation of FSC and non-FSC products. Converters are required to keep detailed accounting records of purchases for both types of products. Annual volume summaries must be submitted. This is done to show that the output is compatible with the input quantities of FSC-certified materials.

Auditors will then do the auditing. FSC-certified companies must follow social compliance standards. This also includes labour rights and a harassment-free work environment. In the case of non-compliance, it can lead to a revocation of the certificate.

Supporting Responsible Forestry

FSC-certified companies contribute to responsible forestry by ensuring the continuing of the chain from raw material sourcing all the way to the end-user. It shows the company is committed and follows the compliance set by the FSC seriously by going through the auditing process. These companies promote responsible forestry by being transparent in their working and manufacturing processes. By following the FSC standards, companies can demonstrate their commitment to environmental and social responsibility.

How to Verify FSC Certification

As an end user, it is essential to verify that the converters are FSC-certified. You can use the FSC public certificate search tool available at the FSC Certificate Public Dashboard (https://connect.fsc.org/fsc-public-certificate-search). Simply enter the company’s name to check its certification status and details of FSC-verified products.

Tele-Paper’s Commitment to ESG

Tele-Paper supports Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles by sourcing materials from responsible forestry. We are an FSC-certified company and go through the auditing process often to maintain the certification status. We adhere to core labour requirements and comply with relevant trade and customs laws. This makes sure our operations align with responsible practices and contribute positively to the environment and society. Our FSC license code is FSC-C105797.

To guarantee that you are obtaining FSC-certified products, it is important that the converter is also FSC-certified. This certification is the only way to ensure products are sourced from responsible forestry practices. By understanding and verifying the chain of custody, consumers can make informed decisions that support responsible forestry, and encourage ethical business practices. 

Chain of Custody e-Brochure

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