Chain of Custody Certification

Tweet AccuLink is committed to being a good corporate citizen and this means doing business and operating in an ethical and responsible manner while providing good value to our customers. In recent years, our management team has become increasingly aware of the threats to the well managed forests of the world and thus the supply of the paper we need. The best way to ensure responsible forest management is to encourage and support the foresters who manage their forests by the highest environmental, social, and economic standards.

The three certifying bodies that set these high standards are the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). To do our part in encouraging these practices, we have become chain of custody certified by all three of these bodies so that we can offer products to our customers that are certified.

We know there is much confusion in the marketplace regarding this topic and hope to answer a few of those questions.

FAQ's about FSC, SFI, PEFC and PCRC

What is FSC?
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an independent, non-governmental, non-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. It provides standard setting, trademark assurance and accreditation services for companies and organizations interested in responsible forestry. Products carrying the FSC label are independently certified to assure consumers that they come from forests that are managed to meet the social, economic and ecological needs of present and future generations. http://www.fsc.org/about-fsc.html

What is SFI?
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) program is based on the premise that responsible environmental behavior and sound business decisions can co-exist. SFI program participants practice sustainable forestry on all the lands they manage. They also influence millions of additional acres through the training of loggers and foresters in best management practices and landowner outreach programs. This unique commitment to sustainable forestry recognizes that all forest landowners, not just SFI program participants, play a critical role in ensuring the long-term health and sustainability of our forests. http://www.sfiprogram.org/

What is PEFC?
The PEFC Council (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization, founded in 1999, which promotes sustainably managed forests through independent third party certification. The PEFC provides an assurance mechanism to purchasers of wood and paper products that they are promoting the sustainable management of forests. PEFC is a global umbrella organization for the assessment of and mutual recognition of national forest certification schemes developed in a multi-stakeholder process. The other national members’ schemes are at various stages of development and are working towards mutual recognition under the PEFC processes. http://www.pefc.org/internet/html/about_pefc.htm

What is PCRF?
PCRF (Post Consumer Recycled Fiber) also referred to as PCRC (Post Consumer Recycled Content), is the amount of recycled material from reclamation centers that has been repurposed into usable paper product. It is commonly found in low quantities, around 10%, but can be specifically manufactured for certain applications in quantities between 30% and 100%.

How does it work?
There is a chain-of-custody (CoC) that must be certified in order to buy and resell a certified product. That CoC extends back through every converter; paper merchant and mill back to the source forest where the paper initiated. In other words, every company that touched that product before the end user buys it was certified to continue the CoC. An independent audit is required for all FSC or SFI certifications. These audits are rigorous, on-the-ground assessments of an organization’s operations conducted by highly qualified and accredited auditors.

Go to http://www.accreditation-services.com/CertificationBodies.htm to find out more or call AccuLink @ 800-948-4110 to learn how you too can participate in this important initiative!