Overview

FSC is looking to differentiate products from communities and smallholders in the marketplace in order to bring them more market benefits.  FSC’s Global Strategy clearly identifies increasing access to FSC certification for these producers as an important issue.

Smallholders and communities often face tough competition in the global timber market.  This pilot project with Fairtrade International and ICCO aims to test the concept of dual certification for smallholders and communities in developing countries.  If it is successful, it will be the basis for developing an affordable and accessible dual certification system that will ultimately be incorporated into the existing FSC and Fairtrade certification systems.

Background

In 2007, FSC and FLO first explored the potential role of Fairtrade in creating market opportunities for community-based foresters. The research identified market interest for a credible system to distinguish community forest products, and that co-operation between FSC and Fairtrade would be the ideal basis for such a system. These findings are detailed in “Distinguishing community products in the market”, published in February 2008.

A follow-up feasibility study analyzed the ‘fit’ between FSC certified forest products and the Fairtrade portfolio. It considers in more depth the issues related to standards and certification-system-development that would need to be tacked in order to make dual certification a reality.

The study concluded a strong case for the development of FSC and Fairtrade dual-certification that could ultimately benefit millions of forest-dwelling and forest-dependent people.

Current project

The project began in summer 2009.  A project coordinator began identifying potential supply chains for dual certification, including producers, manufacturers, traders, and retailers.  Requirements of the pilot project were that the producers be community, small, or low-intensity timber operations in developing countries that were already FSC certified, and that the retailers be located in Europe.

In early 2010, Fairtrade developed timber standards and compliance criteria for timber.  These were based on a gap analysis of the FSC Principles and Criteria and applicable Fairtrade standards.  To date these standards have been used to certify a community forestry operation in Honduras and a group of small/low intensity producers in Chile; another group of small/low intensity producers was assessed for Fairtrade timber certification in Bolivia.  All of these producers were previously FSC certified.  Final negotiations between retailers and producers are taking place, and the first dual certified products are expected to be in markets in fall 2011.

The potential benefits of dual labelling for smallholders and communities include use of both the FSC and Fairtrade labels, entrance to new markets, agreed upon minimum prices, and guaranteed price premiums, which will go to a Social Fund for use by the producers.

The pilot project is expected to run through December 2013.  The remainder of the project will focus on monitoring and evaluation of the existing pilot supply chains rather than adding new supply chains.  The FSC and Fairtrade Boards of Directors will decided, based on the project results if dual certification will continue in the future.

See project leaflet here

Project partners