The aim of the conference was to discuss the results of the recently completed National Risk Assessment (NRA) for Poland, which evaluates the risk of unacceptable sources entering the FSC Mix supply chain. It focused in particular on the steps that must be followed in the case of sourcing timber from an area assessed as having ‘unspecified risk’.
The conference was particularly targeted at representatives of the wood and paper industry who implement the suppliers verification system (FSC STD-40-05) when they buy uncertified wood to meet their production needs.
The conference turned out to be a great success, with nearly 60 participants arriving for the event. They included representatives of non-governmental organizations, scientific institutions and the press.
Presentations were made on the idea of FSC Controlled Wood, the outcome of the NRA and the consequences of assessing some areas as ‘unspecified risk’. A representative of FSC Poland discussed the possibility of implementing the FSC Controlled Wood Standard for Forest Management Enterprises (FSC-STD-30-010) for non-certified areas that lie within an area of ‘unspecified risk’. The final presentation was on FSC and the EU Timber Regulation, which came into force on 3 March 2013, establishing new responsibilities for companies in the timber industry.
The conference closed with a vivid discussion among forest entrepreneurs, FSC certificate holders and representatives of State Forests and certification bodies.
For more information, see www.fsc.pl