[ES] What is FSC certification and why should you look for it in your packaging?

The Forest Stewardship Council was founded with the intention of ensuring responsible forest management. Its certification is very important because it guarantees that the raw material from which an article has been produced comes from sustainable practices. You can find it in products related to forestry, whether they are made of wood, paper or derivatives, and, of course, also in those packaging that meet these criteria for the protection of forests in their manufacturing process.

In this post we tell you everything there is behind the FSC certification and why you should take it into account when choosing packaging for your business.

What is the FSC?

The FSC, Forest Stewardship Council®, is a global non-profit organisation that promotes responsible forest management worldwide.

Its origins date back to 1990, following a meeting in California of a group of timber-consuming and trading companies and representatives of environmental and human rights organisations concerned about the problems of deforestation and environmental degradation.

The organisation was founded in Toronto, Canada, in 1993; its headquarters are now in Bonn, Germany; and its mission is to facilitate environmentally sound forest management:

• environmentally sound forest management. Ensuring the maintenance of forest biodiversity.
• socially beneficial. Contributing to society’s enjoyment of the benefits of forests.
• economically viable. With cost-effective forest management plans without compromising resources, biodiversity and ecosystems.

What is FSC certification?

FSC certification accredits and guarantees to the consumer that products bearing this label are made from raw materials from forests managed according to sustainability criteria and good practices.

These resources of forest origin can be

• timber: wood, cellulose fibres to make pulp for paper and cardboard, and cellulose fibres for textile use.
• non-timber: cork, rubber or latex, resin and other uses such as honey, tree fruits, mushrooms, aromatic and medicinal plants, hunting and extensive livestock farming.

According to the Forestry Statistics Yearbook of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, in 2020 there were 361,046 hectares of FSC-certified wooded forest area in Spain, which represents almost 2% of the total wooded forest area. During that year, the certified area grew by 26,000 hectares, an increase of 8% compared to 2019.

Types of FSC certificates

The FSC issues three different types of certificates:

• Controlled wood certification. Controlled wood can only be mixed with certified material during the manufacture of FSC mixed products.
• Forest management certification. This confirms that a particular area of a forest is being used according to FSC principles and criteria.
• Chain of custody certification. Checks that FSC-labelled products for sale come from materials from FSC-certified forests.
  

Benefits of FSC certification

According to the organisation itself, these are the benefits of accreditation:

• Construction becomes environmentally and socially responsible. The use of wood or cork in buildings reduces environmental impact and helps control greenhouse gas emissions.
• The use of these materials encourages differentiating projects. Wood and cork are attractive, easy to work with, renewable and recyclable.
• It ensures compliance with environmental regulations. Using forest products makes companies comply with environmental regulations and laws.
• It promotes more and better forests. Sustainably and responsibly managed forests secure natural resources in the long term.

FSC certification in RAJA® packaging

The commitment to the environment and the EcoResponsible attitude are part of the RAJA® pillars, that’s why we assume the good practices in packaging through our 5-R(reduce, reuse, replace, renew and recycle) and we join the Sustainable Development Goals. RAJA® is committed through the FSC to offer our customers more responsible purchases in accordance with the three criteria of sustainable development: social, ecological and economic. . By buying products identified with this label, they participate in the protection of the world’s forests.

Would you like to take a closer look at some of our FSC-labelled packaging? Take a look at these:

Also, don’t miss our EcoResponsible products section, where you will find cardboard boxes, shipping envelopes, shipping tubes, protective and refill packaging or pallets, all of them designed and manufactured with a green conscience.

Now that you know about the Forest Stewardship Council and its accreditation, make sure you use packaging and products that carry this seal. In this way, you will contribute to the maintenance and care of forests and, therefore, to making a more responsible and sustainable future possible.