FSC is pleased to announce the launch of the FSC Global Partner Program through an exclusive partnership agreement with AkzoNobel. The official start of the partnership was celebrated at the FSC Global Partner Awards ceremony which honored companies from around the world for their commitment to FSC certification and promotion of responsible forest management worldwide.
The partnership between FSC and AkzoNobel will highlight the vital significance of forests and raise awareness of FSC’s mission to promote responsible forest management worldwide. As a global leader in sustainability and the largest global paints and coatings company, AkzoNobel will support FSC’s outreach efforts by educating customers and helping to drive demand for FSC certified products. AkzoNobel has also committed to support the development of local FSC National Initiatives and to set up a global partnership fund to support social policy projects.
Market demand for FSC certified products drives uptake of FSC certification at the forest management level, and contributes to improved environmental and social conditions. In this way, FSC certification is a tool through which businesses and consumers can help protect the world’s forests. The FSC Global Partner Program is designed to support the effective mechanism of FSC certification by increasing awareness and action towards responsible procurement decisions.
“As a global leader in sustainability, AkzoNobel is an ideal partner to promote awareness of FSC worldwide. Both FSC and AkzoNobel are invested in the care of natural resources, and the partnership draws on the synergy between sourcing from well-managed forests and maintaining long-term objectives for the life cycle of forest products. By working together through the FSC Global Partner Program, we will not only raise awareness of FSC certification but also bring attention to innovations that address environmental, social and economic issues in forest management,” FSC Director General Andre de Freitas.
The FSC Global Partner Program is closely aligned with FSC’s Global Strategy objectives to provide leadership in advancing globally responsible forest management, ensure equitable access to the benefits of the FSC system, to develop the market for FSC certified products and to strengthen its global network.