FSC® cardboard boxes – 15 reasons your business should use them

Put simply, consumer behaviour is changing.

Shoppers – whether purchasing in-store or online – are demanding more sustainable products. This is now extending to the packaging in which these goods are supplied as well.

Switching to FSC-certified cardboard boxes is obviously one way to meet your customers’ requirements for a reduced environmental impact, but is that enough?

In this guide, we’ve outlined 15 key benefits of switching to FSC-certified packaging for your business, the environment, and the lives of people who rely on forests for their livelihood and even their way of life.

We’ll cover what FSC is, how it works, what products can be certified, the sustainability benefits, the socio-economic benefits, and the direct advantages to your business.

Before highlighting the benefits of FSC cardboard boxes, it’s important to first provide some background as to what the FSC is, how it operates, and which products can be certified.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international, not-for-profit membership organisation that both supervises and promotes sustainable forest management globally.

It was established in Toronto in 1993 with the initial aim of preventing deforestation of the Amazonian rainforest. However, it quickly expanded to incorporate environmental and human rights organisations and forest owners from 26 different countries.

Today, FSC sets best practices for sustainable forest management that meet the needs of environmental, social, and economic stakeholders. The principles it promotes guarantee the responsible production of wood and paper for consumers around the world, although FSC itself neither produces nor sells goods.

Growing from around 45 million hectares 15 years ago, there are now more than 200 million hectares of forest throughout 86 countries that are managed by FSC – an area approximately 20% of the size of Europe.

Forests are inspected and certified against a set of strict criteria and standards based on FSC’s “Principles of Forest Stewardship”. These inspections are undertaken by independent organisations.

Forests must be managed in an environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable manner to achieve FSC certification. The timber and products made from it, including paper and cardboard, are then allowed to bear the FSC label.

There is a wide and diverse range of products that can be FSC-certified and, in turn, carry its branding and labelling.

This includes, but is not limited to, products made of wood fibre, charcoal, flooring, decking, paper, DIY, and building materials, furniture and, of course, packaging. Even some jewellery can be FSC-certified.

Sticking with packaging, however, being FSC-certified (Chain of Custody Certificate No. C161914) means GWP can provide a wide range of FSC-accredited corrugated packaging. This includes not only FSC cardboard boxes but also eCommerce packaging, heavy-duty transit packs, retail and shelf-ready units, POS, and even specialist items such as spools.

Having covered what the FSC is, briefly explained how it works, and which products can be FSC-certified, the next step is to highlight the key reasons your business should use FSC cardboard boxes and packaging.

The 15 reasons detailed below can be grouped into three categories: sustainability and environmental benefits, socio-economic benefits, and direct advantages for the business that uses them.

• Sustainable management of forests.
• CO2 reduction.
• Traceability of material.
• Endorsements by major charities and organisations.

• Preserving indigenous people’s lifestyles.
• Fair wages and supporting local economies.
• Production in accordance with laws.
• Building of schools and amenities.
• Conservation of habitat and natural environments.

• Satisfying consumer demands and driving sales.
• Brand perception and positioning.
• Promotion and marketing.
• Guarantee of sustainability.
• No additional costs.
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Take a look at the following reasons that are focused on sustainability, which is why your business should use FSC-certified packaging.

Put simply, in an FSC-managed forest, no more trees are felled than the forest can manage to reproduce. In practice, this means that only a predetermined section of any given forest can be cut down, and that trees are replanted.

This, in turn, protects the flora and fauna that make up the area’s natural environment. It also enables the forest’s other benefits to be maintained over many years, rather than just in the short term, as typically happens with illegal logging.

Careful management of forests, such as that enforced by FSC, can also have a significant impact on CO2 levels.

Whilst a tree is growing, it absorbs more CO2 than it releases through respiration. It then reaches a stable level at which respiration and photosynthesis become carbon-neutral before it becomes old and decays. In this final stage, if the tree is allowed to be fully broken down by nature, it will release all of the absorbed CO2 back into the atmosphere.

Managing the felling and planting of trees can enable forests to continue absorbing more CO2 than they produce.

Another key tenet of the FSC’s approach is that of traceability.

Implementing a chain of custody means that all parties involved in the selling and processing of FSC material, including forest owners, producers, wholesalers, and more, are responsible for the traceability of FSC-certified products.

This effectively ensures that products sold as FSC-certified can be traced from the tree in the forest to the final product sold to the owner.

CoC-certified companies, such as GWP Packaging, must always be able to demonstrate that they separate FSC-certified materials from materials sourced from other sources during production and storage. Ultimately, it means your business and customers can be certain that the packaging they use is FSC-certified.

The stringent methods and controls put in place by the FSC mean that it is the only responsible forestry scheme endorsed by all global wildlife and environmental charities.

This includes support from WWF, Greenpeace, Forests of the World, and many others.

So, besides the environmental benefits associated with using FSC cardboard boxes and products in general, what are the social benefits of the scheme?

One of the key considerations of the FSC is that the interests and lifestyles of indigenous people are preserved, and that they are not exposed to any danger resulting from commercial activities.

Besides this, indigenous peoples’ rights to use the forests as they did before are maintained, as well as being fully involved in the management of the forests. This means that, for example, sacred grounds and hunting groves are exempt from felling.

Besides preserving the way of life of indigenous peoples, FSC supports local communities in other ways.

For example, fair pay, wages, and working conditions are guaranteed throughout the supply chain. Any individuals working in the forests are also entitled to training and safety equipment, and to form trade unions. Local labour is always used where possible.

Ultimately, the FSC ensures that local populations benefit from the forest revenues.

An often-overlooked point is that all FSC-certified materials are produced in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and nationally ratified international treaties and agreements. Although this may seem an obvious point to make, many non-FSC forests operate in violation of these laws and conventions.

As mentioned previously, local populations benefit from the forest revenues, including the use of local labour, which feeds back into the area’s economy.

However, the production of FSC-certified forests helps communities in other ways, too.

For many of the world’s poorest countries, the FSC stipulates that a certain percentage of forestry profits be allocated to the construction of local amenities. This can handle everything from schools and clinics to housing and more.

Last but not least, FSC forests ensure that high conservation values are maintained. This applies not only to indigenous people but also to wildlife and ecosystems.

There is a significant provision for the protection of animals and plant life, with various parts of FSC forests being preserved completely. In particular, areas with endangered animals and plants are fully protected and cannot be used for commercial activity.

Although the wider socio-economic and environmental impacts realised by the FSC are hugely important, there is also a wide range of benefits for businesses choosing to use FSC-certified cardboard boxes and other certified packaging.

There is an ever-growing demand amongst consumers for sustainable products and packaging. FSC cardboard boxes are a key way of highlighting this to your customers.

A majority of individuals now expect or demand environmentally friendly products, with a focus on where they came from and how they were produced, making chain-of-custody certification even more important.

In fact, as many as 79% of UK shoppers would prefer and choose a product featuring the FSC logo over one that doesn’t.

As your packaging supplied by GWP can feature FSC logos and trademarks, it can become an important tool in driving sales amongst this growing demographic.

There are a couple of startling facts that indicate what using FSC branding (e.g., on FSC-certified packaging) can do for your brand’s perception and positioning.

Firstly, a global study from 2017 found an average FSC brand awareness level of 50% among 13 respondent countries.

Secondly, as many as 82% of certificate holders, rising to 88% of retailers and non-manufacturers, have detailed how FSC certification has helped to create a positive corporate image.

Finally, 55% of people in the UK recognise the FSC logo.

In short, FSC is not only well recognised but also well regarded.

Continuing the theme of statistics, three in five UK consumers expect paper and cardboard packaging to be sourced from sustainable sources, such as FSC.

Besides this, 64% of certificate holders (76% of retailers and non-manufacturers) agree that using the FSC label on products adds value and that its use in promotional materials helps drive sales.

Crucially, GWP’s FSC certification allows any qualifying packaging that you source from us to be printed with FSC logos and trademarks in line with FSC packaging logo guidelines.

Using FSC-certified packaging also enables your business to apply for an FSC promotional license, which allows branding, logos, and trademarks to be used across your online and offline marketing channels, although fees apply.

The chain-of-custody certification, along with options to include FSC branding and logos on your packaging, provides a guarantee to your business and your customers that your packaging comes from genuine FSC-approved forests.

So, rather than empty promises regarding sustainability and being green, FSC packaging can showcase that your business really does take its environmental responsibilities seriously.

For most packaging manufacturers – and certainly for GWP – switching to FSC cardboard boxes will incur very little, if any, cost.

As the vast majority of the material GWP uses is FSC-certified by default, switching to fully FSC-certified packaging is usually straightforward.

Finally, joining schemes such as FSC is highly likely to enhance your business’s Corporate Social Responsibility standing. In turn, this can increase credibility with stakeholders, governments, NGOs, and the general public.

In fact, 82% of certificate holders, rising to 88% of retailers and non-manufacturers, agree that FSC helps them to communicate their Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.