There are lots of models for what it means to be a successful business, but few models of what it means to be successful in forest stewardship. About six months after starting in business, MRC determined that one of the best benchmarks for stewardship was Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification and we publicly committed ourselves to achieve this goal.
Having FSC certification says a great deal about any company. It is a new conservation tool that takes a voluntary, market-based approach to encouraging responsible forestry practices. Certification involves an independent evaluation of a landowner's forestry practices according to strict environmental and socio-economic standards. It is also the only certifying system that offers "chain of custody" monitoring, which ensures the product, from the raw resource to the final product, has been produced using sustainable, environmentally sensitive practices by a company that:
- meets all applicable environmental laws;
- has legally established, long-term forest management rights;
- recognized and respects the rights of indigenous peoples, maintain the economic and social well-being of local communities;
- conserves the forest's economic resources;
- protects biological diversity; has a written management plan; and
- engages in regular monitoring; conserves primary forests and well-developed secondary forests;
Customers who purchase certified products can be assured they were grown and harvested in a way that protects forests for the long term.
MRC chose the FSC standard for certification because we, as well as many others, believe that it is the toughest standard available for management of forests on a commercial basis. We underwent a formal assessment by two FSC-accredited certifiers (Institute for Sustainable Forestry/ SmartWood and Scientific Certification Systems) and received certification in November of 2000. MRC is audited on an annual basis by the FSC certification team.
See MRC Receives FSC Certification.
Related Links:
www.fscus.org
www.scscertified.com
www.smartwood.org
|
