Adare marks commitment to sustainable forestry management with FSC and PEFC certifications
Marketing and customer communications specialist Adare has been awarded both FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) certification by SGS (one of the world's leading auditing and certification bodies), further reinforcing its commitment to environmental sustainability.
The achievement of both standards adds to the company's existing ISO 14001 Environmental Management System certification, and provides its clients with the assurance that its products and services can be sourced from start to finish in an environmentally considerate manner.
Adare now sources the majority of its raw material from FSC and PEFC certified mills and merchants. This will ensure that, should a client request it, products supplied by Adare can be traced to their original source and will certify that all conservational credentials are kept at each stage of the chain, from forest to end client.
Adare was awarded the certifications after setting in place a management project to implement FSC and PEFC Chain of Custody systems and processes in order to comply with the strict monitoring requirements set by both organisations. This included segregating certified and non certified materials both in the warehouse and in production to prevent controlled products being mixed with other stock.
To comply with the requirements of the two standards Adare must also verify suppliers' certificates quarterly via the FSC & PEFC databases and check suppliers' delivery notes upon receipt to verify material status.
Robert Whiteside, chief executive officer at Adare, comments: "We have already proven our commitment to the environment with ISO 14001 and now the FSC and PEFC certifications mark the gold standard in sustainable initiatives. Our clients have the assurance that, when requested, paper products maintain the chain of custody requirements throughout the production process.
"Many of our clients are recognising the benefits that being able to brand their materials with the FSC or PEFC mark can have in assuring their consumers that they are serious about their environmental commitments. It is also just as important to Adare as an organisation and everyone throughout the business is aware of the standards we have set as a result of the certifications and everyone works towards maintaining these.
"
