Green Certification

Pacific Color Graphics has FSC certification and is an Alameda County certified Green Business. We are committed to being an advocate of our environment and doing all we can to conserve its resources as well as protect our planet.

What is FSC?

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), a non-profit organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world’s forests, sets high standards that ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial, and economically viable way. Landowners and companies that sell timber or forest products seek FSC certification as a way to verify to consumers that they have practiced forestry consistent with FSC standards. FSC accredits independent certification organizations to carry out assessments of forest management to determine if standards have been met. These certifiers also verify that companies claiming to sell FSC-certified products have tracked their supply back to FSC-certified sources. This chain of custody certification assures that consumers can trust the FSC label.

Trusted environmental organizations, including Greenpeace, National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, and World Wildlife Fund, all support and encourage FSC certification. Consumers wishing to support healthy forests and communities should look and ask for the FSC label when purchasing wood or paper products.

The Paper Market and Corporate Responsibility

Corporate social responsibility issues are becoming a core component of corporate brands. Dealing responsibly with your company’s footprint can not only reduce risk, but can enhance your brand if you walk the walk and know how to talk about it. Carrying the FSC-certification logo on your print products tells the world that you support the highest social and environmental standards in the market where you use paper. Your purchase of FSC-certified paper and print products contribute to conservation, responsible management, and community level benefits for people near the forests that provide your paper.

The U.S. is the largest market for paper products in the world, producing 90 million tons of paper annually and, in-turn, consuming about 100 million tons. Despite improved technologies for refining post consumer pulp, virgin fiber is still a significant requirement, as only 35% of current consumption is met by using recycled fiber. In addition, approximately 25% of recovered fiber is exported out of US markets. Roughly 25% of timber cut annually by volume in the US is used for paper production.

While recycled fiber is a key element of the traditional model for responsible consumption, forest management in the production of the wood used in paper manufacturing has more fundamental importance than even recycled fiber. The use of alternative fibers, chemical treatment and the resulting effluence are other factors important to the responsible purchasing of paper and board.