According to the new FSC Italy report, published on the basis of data collected from the database until December 31, 2021, certification in the Italian market is growing strongly, thanks also to the enhancement of ecosystem services.

"The trend of FSC certifications confirms a consolidated trend, which has received a very strong acceleration in recent years," said Diego Florian, Director of FSC Italy. "We are increasingly aware of the impacts that exploitation and depletion of natural resources have on the ecosystems themselves and, as a result, on our lives. That's why viable, safe and reliable solutions to problems such as deforestation and the climate crisis are required; and for good reason, Forest Stewardship Council certification is among them".

 

Certified Forests and Ecosystem Services

There are two types of FSC certification: Forest Management certification, for forest owners and managers, and Chain of Custody certification, for companies processing and/or trading forest products.  Responsible Forest Management (FM) certification ensures that a forest or forest plantation is managed according to strict environmental, social and economic standards.

According to the 2021 report, 75,213.99 hectares are currently certified according to FSC standards in Italy, with a growth rate of about 10% compared to 2020 and among the highest in the last 3 years; this acceleration is due to the contribution of both medium-large public properties and medium-small private realities.

The enhancement of ecosystem services is once again the key asset for forestry companies already certified FSC that want to attract potential investors or simply promote the impacts of responsible forest management on factors such as water, soil, biodiversity, CO2 stock or tourist-recreational and cultural functions.

 

The FSC chain in Italy

Chain of Custody (CoC) certification guarantees the traceability of materials coming from FSC-certified forests and is essential for applying FSC labels on products.

As of December 31, 2021, there were 3,178 active Chain of Custody (CoC) certificates in Italy, for a total of more than 4,000 production sites involved and a growth of 12.2%, in addition to the 10% increase recorded in the previous two years. Really positive numbers, which confirm how companies and consumers rely on independent and third-party certifications, as in the case of FSC, and on the related production chains. According to Globescan research carried out in 2021, FSC is the most well-known forest certification brand.

The sectors with the greatest increases are once again the packaging sector with 1,210 total certifications, +17% on the 2020 figure, and 176 new certifications. This is followed by the sector of interior and exterior furnishings that sees 608 total certifications, +14% over 2020 and a record 99 new certifications in 2021. Significant are the recent certifications of two important realities of the Italian market: Boffi s.p.a and Scavolini s.p.a. The initiative FSC Furniture Awards 2021, the European competition to reward the most virtuous companies of the sector, was also very popular, with 5 Italian companies winning in different categories and special prizes (out of a total of 11 prizes awarded).

Finally, as regards textiles, there are 130 total certifications, +39.7% and an increase of 37 units compared to the previous year.

 

FSC, the most well-known forest certification mark

In 2021, 111 companies licensed FSC trademarks for promotional purposes through the Promotional License Agreement (PLA), with 28 new contracts signed and a 44% increase in value over the previous year.

Among the most active sectors are agri-food, retailers, followed by cosmetics and parapharmaceuticals, consulting firms and other NGOs.