A motion to strengthen FSC’s Controlled Wood System has been passed unanimously at the FSC General Assembly in Malaysia.
The move recognises that the FSC membership had identified a range of serious deficiencies in guaranteeing that controlled wood was actually controlled.
The changes include FSC national offices taking over the responsibility of risk assessments and company developed risk assessments being phased out, with no company assessments being approved after December 31, 2012.
Where there is no FSC national office in a country, FSC International will assume the responsibility.
FSC will evaluate the adequacy of all existing company-based risk assessments by July 1, 2012.
The evaluation will include issues related to particular regions, product sectors, and certification body performance. FSC will assess, correct, or cancel risk assessments that do not meet requirements
The information collected will also help inform the future development of FSC risk assessments.
“The purpose of the motion ultimately boiled down to assuring that Controlled Wood is in fact controlled,” said Robert Hughes, motion proposer.
FSC will convene a technical committee by September next year which will look at stakeholder consultation and consent, requirements related to field verification audits, incentivisation policies.
The FSC Board of Directors is to approve agreed changes to the Controlled Wood system by December 30, 2012.
