FSC Forestry Management - Update by SGS

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Global - 03/08/09
FSC Forestry Management - Update

SGS took a decision earlier this year to place a moratorium on the offering of FSC Forest Management certification services and to prioritize its global resources on meeting our customer needs in Chain-of-Custody certification and on serving existing FSC FM certified clients.

SGS has put in place a step-by-step program to lift the moratorium on the offering of FSC Forest Management certification services. These steps are:


1.		SGS will assess the risks associated with each Forest Management project ahead of the project start. This assessment will define how each project will be managed and evaluated.
2.		SGS has introduced a new, enhanced training program for all its FSC Forest Management auditors. This is a part of the continuous improvement program SGS runs for its team of auditors.
3.		SGS has evaluated each of its geographical markets and will lift the moratorium in a phased and a controlled manner. The moratorium is now formally lifted for the following countries: Japan (servicing Vietnam and South Korea) Brazil Australia and New Zealand Chile Slovakia (also servicing Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina) South Africa (providing forest certification services in most of Africa) Uruguay (also servicing Peru, Paraguay, Colombia, Ecuador and Suriname) Argentina United Kingdom (also servicing the Republic of Ireland)

SGS strongly supports the FSC program and its objectives and has built a strong relationship with the program over more than a decade. SGS has been an integral part of the growth and success of the program on a global basis.

SGS will maintain an intense communication with FSC and ASI (Accreditation Services International) to ensure that the needs of the FSC Forest Management program and customers are taken into consideration and reflected in the implementation.

The SGS Group is the global leader and innovator in inspection, verification, testing and certification services. Founded in 1878, SGS is recognized as the global benchmark in quality and integrity. With more than 56,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,000 offices and laboratories around the world. SGS is the world’s leading independent body in Forestry Chain-of-Custody certification.