FSC & PEFC

Sterling achieved registration with both the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) schemes in August 2007. This gives our customers the opportunity to support the responsible management of forests worldwide.

Founded in 1993 the FSC operates through its 400 members in 50 countries with membership including Governments, Environmental Groups, Community Groups and Industrial Leaders.

The principles and criteria determined by the FSC ensure that forests are being managed in an Environmentally Sensitive, Socially Responsible and Economically Viable manner.

As such the FSC has been endorsed by environmental organisations,
high-profile retailers and forest products companies

Unlike the FSC, the PEFC does not set specific standards but is an “umbrella” brand which incorporates different National Forest Certification Schemes, this is intended to make the verification process quicker and less complex.

Chain of Custody

Both the FSC and PEFC schemes operate under Chain of Custody systems which allow the end product to be traced back through the supply chain to the forest of origin. In order for products originating from certified sources to carry the FSC trademark, the timber has to be traceable from the forest of origin through every production processes until it reaches the end user. Only when this traceability has been independently verified (by SGS Qualifier), is the product eligible to carry the FSC trademark.

Client benefits of using the FSC/PEFC schemes

  • Support responsibly managed forests worldwide - the FSC trademark enables customers to choose forest products which are not contributing to the destruction of the world’s forests, by buying from certified sources you are providing an incentive for responsible forest management
  • No additional time or effort required - once your decision has been made Sterling will do the rest of the work for you! Just ask us to source FSC/PEFC certified paper, and through our Chain of Custody registration, we will apply on your behalf for use of the trademark on your products.
  • No additional costs - FSC/PEFC certified paper is no more expensive than other papers, so you can be environmentally friendly without suffering increasing costs, whilst publicly demonstrating your company’s environmental credentials.