What is an FSC® certificate?

FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®) is an international non-profit organisation that sets standards for responsible forest management taking into account ecological, economic and social aspects. The distinctive green logo on the product ensures that the raw material used in its production comes from a certified supply chain (FSC® COC – from harvesting through production and transport to sales) and its producer follows the good practices set out in the FSC® requirements.

FSC® certification for Melaco

Melaco as a manufacturer of furniture components has a document with the number CU-COC-834286, whose validity can also be verified at info.fsc.org. See the FSC® certificate issued for Melaco by Control Union Certifications.

MELACO has held the FSC® certificate since 2014. In 2019, a renewal audit took place after 5 years. – says Beata Piotrowska, Deputy Director for Production and Development – This shows that MELACO’s activities for sustainable forest management are not green fashion activities, but a conscious choice many years ago. It proves that MELACO strives to change the awareness of using natural resources of its trading partners and meets their expectations. Both MELACO and our customers export their products worldwide. The possession of the FSC® certificate is a valuable negotiating argument and more and more often a necessary condition for establishing business cooperation.

3 types of FSC® certificate

To obtain the certificate, a company must comply with the 10 principles described on the FSC® website. The document is issued when the company has passed the verification stage. It is valid for 5 years and during that time (at least once a year) representatives of the FSC® accredited certification body carry out an audit to verify that all standards are respected.

However, logging is a rather complicated process and forest certification takes time. Therefore, the organisation has introduced 3 types of FSC® certificates:

• FSC® Pure – Clean Source. 100% of the raw material is FSC® certified. According to the FSC 2014 world market research report, the FSC® Pure label is on as much as 1/3 of all certified products.
• FSC® Mix – Mixed source. At least 70% of the raw material is certified and the rest is so-called controlled wood – it is not certified, but meets the minimum criteria for good forest management (e.g. it is legally harvested with respect to customary and civil rights, comes from forests where natural values are not threatened).
• FSC® Recycled – recycled raw material. A minimum of 85% of the raw material is recycled.

Is it worth choosing furniture boards with the FSC® logo?

Yes, it is. FSC® means that wood comes from a sustainable source, so when you choose products with this logo, you are showing your concern for the environment both as a consumer and as a business partner. You reduce the degradation of forest resources, protect endangered species from extinction and reduce the negative impact of human activities on climate change. Additionally, the FSC® mark on a product increases the company’s credibility and inspires trust among conscious customers – it is a measurable benefit for furniture designers and manufacturers who care about a positive image and running a responsible business.