Cox Receives FSC & SFI Certifications

Cox Industries' Residential Products Division recently received certifications through the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).

"As part of Cox's continued journey towards sustainability, these certifications dove-tail with our company's concerns for the environment, for society and for financial stability", said Michael Johnson, CEO. Ensuring better practices in the forestry and wood products industries protects not only the well being of our forests, but all of the livings creatures that depend on it. However the certifying agencies don't stop there, in fact the FSC looks at how workers are treated and how they are paid. Even though certified wood is a little more expensive now, Cox believes, it isn't nearly as expensive as it could be in the future without the proper control systems in place.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world's forests. Established in 1993 as a response to concerns over global deforestation, FSC is widely regarded as one of the most important initiatives of the last decade to promote responsible forest management worldwide.

FSC is a certification system that provides internationally recognized standard-setting, trademark assurance and accreditation services to companies, organizations, and communities interested in responsible forestry. Being FSC certified shows that you comply with the highest social and environmental standards on the market. As public concern about the state of the world's forests and timber resources increases, FSC provides you with a simple solution to complex environmental and social issues. FSC certification is most widely known for its ties to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED certification program for commercial construction.

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is an independent, non-profit organization responsible for maintaining, overseeing and improving a sustainable forestry certification program that is internationally recognized and among the largest in the world. The SFI Standard is based on principles and measures that promote sustainable forest management and consider all forest values. It includes unique fiber sourcing requirements promoting responsible forest management on all suppliers' lands.

SFI is recognized as part of the National Green Building Standard which was developed by the International Code Council (ICC) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The National Green Building Standard is coordinated with ANSI (American National Standards Institute), which has been the administrator of the U.S. voluntary standardization system for more than 90 years.

"Whether addressing environmental concerns for personal reasons or needing points qualifications as part of a "green" building program, for residential or commercial construction, the new SFI and FSC certifications have better positioned Cox to help our customers reach their goals" said Keith Harris, VP Marketing.