Australian Forest Stewardship Standard
The FSC Australia Forest Stewardship Standard (FSC-STD-AUS-01-2018) provides the requirements for FSC Forest Management certification in Australia. Based on the FSC Principles and Criteria for Forest Stewardship, the Standard adapts the International Generic Indicators to Australia's legal, environmental, social and economic context through a chamber-balanced, multi-stakeholder standard development process. It provides a nationally applicable framework for responsible forest management that is consistent with the FSC global framework.
National Forest Stewardship Standard for Australia
The FSC Australia Forest Stewardship Standard (FSC-STD-AUS-01-2018) came into effect in 2018 and sets out the requirements for FSC Forest Management certification for all certified forest operations in Australia, including Small and Low Intensity Managed Forests (SLIMFs). Developed through a chamber-balanced, multi-stakeholder process, it was the first national standard to bring together environmental, social and economic stakeholders to define responsible forest management for the Australian context.
The Standard promotes environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable forest management by balancing the production of forest products with the protection of biodiversity, ecosystem values, workers' rights, local communities and Indigenous Peoples' rights.
The Standard is currently under revision to ensure it remains aligned with the FSC global framework and responsive to Australia's evolving legal, environmental and social context. Learn more about the revision process.
Advice and Interpretations
A directive includes all advice issued in relation to a single standard. The relation to a standard is reflected in the document code. An interpretation is a formal normative clarification provided by the FSC Performance and Standards Unit to requirements included in documents of the FSC Normative Framework.
Directives
FSC Directive on Forest Management Evaluations (FSC-DIR-20-007)
Interpretations
Steps to FSC Certification
step
01
Contact a certification body
Contact one or several third-party Certification Bodies who will provide an estimate regarding cost and timeline. The Certification Body will provide you with information about the requirements for FSC certification.
step
02
Application & agreement
When you decide which certification body you would like to work with, fill out an application form and sign an agreement with the certification body.
step
03
Complete an on-site audit
Complete an on-site certification audit where your selected certification body will assess your company’s qualifications for certification.
step
04
Certification approval
The data collected during the audit will be captured in an audit report. The certification body will make a certification decision based on the information in the report.
If the certification decision is positive, you will receive an FSC certificate.
If the audit reveals that your operation is not yet in full compliance with FSC requirements, you will receive specific corrective actions. These corrective actions will need to be addressed, at which time a further audit can be conducted.
step
05
Annual audit
The certification body will also conduct annual surveillance audits to verify your continued compliance with FSC certification requirements. FSC certificates are valid for five years.
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