RSB now recognizes FSC which certifies responsibly managed forests.
Geneva, Switzerland (PRWEB) March 06, 2013
As RSB and FSC standards are aligned on most sustainability aspects, FSC certified forests and operators will now be able to access biofuel and bioenergy markets by receiving RSB certification through a simplified audit process to demonstrate compliance, therefore saving costs and time. This process will enhance the development of advanced biofuel pathways by increasing the supply of sustainable forestry products and ligno-cellulosic material to biofuel and bioenergy producers.
“This move, which recognizes the high level of sustainability of FSC-certified operations, offers them increased access to bioenergy markets,” said Barbara Bramble, Board Chair of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels. “It is part of the ongoing project of the RSB to streamline certification requirements for established sustainability standards, and we are delighted that the benchmarking report found our standards to be comparable.”
“We are very pleased to be recognized by RSB as this demonstrates our leadership role in forest certification and responsible forest management. This is also an important signal how like-minded, best-in-class organizations can collaborate across sectors and create additional value for their beneficiaries,” said Kim Carstensen, Director General of the Forest Stewardship Council.
This recognition builds upon a benchmarking process conducted by RSB to compare the respective sustainability requirements of the RSB Principles & Criteria and the FSC Principles & Criteria (Versions 4 and 5). The comparison revealed that FSC certified forests could be de facto considered compliant with all 12 RSB Principles & Criteria, with the exception of RSB Principle 3 (Greenhouse Gas) and RSB Principle 6 (Food Security – Not applicable to natural forests). The complete gap analysis is available upon request via info(at)rsb(dot)org.
About RSB
The Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels has developed a global sustainability standard and certification system for biofuel production. The RSB sustainability standard represents a global consensus of over 100 organizations including farmers, refiners, regulators and NGOs, and was designed to ensure the sustainability of biofuels production while streamlining compliance for industry. More information: http://www.rsb.org
About FSC
The Forest Stewardship Council is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world's forests. Established in 1993, FSC is a pioneer stakeholder forum convening global consensus on responsible forest management through democratic processes. FSC has developed the FSC Certification Scheme, based on the FSC Principles & Criteria, and the related FSC Accreditation Program delivered through Accreditation Services International. More information: http://www.fsc.org
RSB and FSC are both members of the ISEAL Alliance, which defines codes of good practices for standard-setting organisations.
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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2013/3/prweb10473989.htm
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