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The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) acknowledges the World Forest ID (WFID) report, which revealed troubling evidence of incorrect harvest location claims in some FSC-certified products in the UK. Source: Timberbiz FSC confronts these findings with unwavering commitment to accountability. There is no room for compromise in our mission to promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests. The report identifies issues with birch products from countries bordering Russia and Belarus, areas under heightened scrutiny due to sanctions. The anonymized nature of the study limits our ability to pinpoint specific actors, but FSC is not standing idle, it is taking decisive action to safeguard the integrity of its certification system. Since withdrawing certification from Russia and Belarus in 2023, FSC has prioritized eliminating risks of illegal timber from Russia entering our supply chains. The comprehensive measures include: Eurasia Integrity Workplan (2024): A rigorous ongoing investigation of over 800 certificate holders across the Eurasian region, encompassing: Transaction verification investigations to detect false claims and other fraudulent behaviour in birch wood panel supply chains, which have yielded some preliminary results. Isotope-based wood sample testing, to verify timber origins. Targeted investigations into certificate holders suspected of misconduct. Auditor training to enhance scrutiny in vulnerable supply chains. Supply chain integrity measures in association with Assurance Services International (ASI): Ongoing transaction verification of birch plywood supply chains, launched in 2023, has yielded preliminary findings. Field investigation in Kazakhstan (2024), which resulted in two companies exiting FSC and one being blocked from seeking recertification. Unyielding Commitment to Integrity Findings of the report are a call to action, and FSC is answering with urgency. While the study’s anonymized data restricts immediate investigations, it invites stakeholders to provide actionable evidence. FSC stands ready to investigate and enforce consequences swiftly, in line with its stringent protocols. When FSC finds compelling evidence against companies who intentionally try to deceive the certification system, FSC will revoke its FSC certificate and block them from re-entering the FSC system. Since 2020, FSC has blocked 77 certified companies for deliberately making false claims on their products or for acting with malicious intent. The certification represents a commitment to sustainable and responsible management of the world’s forests and forest product supply chains. FSC is defending that promise through innovation, transparency, and accountability. Any breach of trust will be met with swift, decisive action.

The American Wood Council (AWC) has released a new, first-of-its kind online tool designed to help users better understand where their wood products are coming from and the safeguards in place throughout the supply chain to ensure sustainability measures. Source: Timberbiz The tool will provide greater insight into the sourcing of wood products used in low-and zero-carbon construction. The pilot project of the website was funded by the Softwood Lumber Board and the US Endowment for Forestry & Communities funding. The new Wood Sourcing Tool tells the sustainability story through the incorporation of data based on a wood product’s mill grade stamp or region, information critical to tracking a specific product’s journey from the forest to the end user. This new tool also features a set of frequently asked questions about sustainable forestry and regional facts about wood sourcing, information that can give users broader understanding about the wood products being used in buildings across the country. “As questions around the sustainability of fibre supply continues to grow alongside interest in mass timber in commercial construction, this online Wood Sourcing Tool promises to provide regional, robust data that will provide assurances being sought by the architect, engineering and construction communities,” said AWC Vice President of Markets & Sustainability Rachael Jamison. The sourcing data on the site is based on the ASTM D7612-21 standard, which offers a robust and objective framework for identifying wood product sources. Fiber sourcing data is provided by AWC member companies with manufacturing facilities in the United States and is updated on an annual basis, with 2021 data the most recent available and shown on the site. When assessing the sustainability of wood products, there are three categories that are applied: Non-Controversial – products from non-controversial, or legal, sources are from geographic areas with a low risk of illegal activity or are compliant with legal or proprietary standards. Responsible– products from responsible sources are from geographic areas in compliance with an independently certified procurement standard or from geographic areas with programs that implement best management practices. Certified – products from certified sources are independently certified to an internationally recognized forest management certification standard. Each gives different assurances of the practices that take place in the forests where the wood is grown and at the manufacturing site.