Abbey Press Printing Receives FSC Certification
Abbey Press Printing is pleased to announce we have recently received
FSC Certification. To be an FSC certified printer takes “recycled” to a whole new level and is truly in keeping with the values of our owners, the monks of Saint Meinrad Archabbey. We have implemented many recycling programs over the years, in addition to printing with vegetable-based inks, so we’re no stranger to environmental stewardship. However, we feel this added certification will be of great benefit to our customers--and more importantly, the environment.
FSC stands for the Forest Stewardship Council, a non-profit organization developed to protect the world’s forests. FSC certified products (wood and paper) are produced according to rigorous standards that apply to every step in the process, so that overall, the end product represents the highest attainable level of earth-friendliness and social responsibility.
FSC’s “chain of custody” approach affects every part of the manufacturing process, from how timber is grown and harvested, how it’s transported, how the paper is milled, how the product is stored, printing methods used, and how the people who make the products are treated. Specific criteria apply to each step in the chain, and an FSC-certified product must meet all of them.
For example, looking at the wood growing and harvesting stage, FSC mandates that the following five origins MUST be avoided:
- Illegally harvested wood
- Wood harvested in violation of traditional and civil rights
- Wood harvested in forests in which High Conservation Values (areas particularly worth of protection) are threatened through management activities
- Wood harvested from conversion of natural forests
- Wood harvested from areas where genetically modified trees are planted
To our knowledge, FSC Certification is by far the most rigorous, effective way to safeguard the environment and human rights, and we are happy to offer this option to our printing customers.
If you’re interested in digging deeper into FSC Certification and what it means, the Forest Stewardship Council’s website is here: http://www.fsc.org/
