Cal State Chico Gets FSC Certified

Another in-plant has attained FSC chain-of-custody certification. University Printing Services at California State University-Chico was awarded Forest Stewardship Council certification by Scientific Certification Systems last month. It is reportedly the first university in California to receive this certification.

The chain-of-custody certification means that Printing Services can put the FSC logo on its products, signifying that they meet strict tracking requirements and come from responsibly-managed forests.

“Now that printed pieces can bear the FSC logo, the university will gain immediate recognition for its role in understanding the importance of forest conservation worldwide,” says Sean Farrell, associate vice president for business and finance.

Dale Wymore, manager of University Printing Services, says the idea to seek the FSC certification came out of a staff meeting in September 2007 about exploring ways to be more environmentally sustainable.

“We felt that becoming FSC certified was an important contribution we could make towards the university’s sustainability goals,” she says. “I’d like to thank the University Printing Services staff for their interest in following the processes and procedures needed for this certification. This was really a team effort.”

Wymore says the university’s paper purchases for FSC-trademarked products will be audited annually to make sure that they come from a well-managed forest. The in-plant is also making other contributions to sustainability, she adds, such as using vegetable-based inks for four-color process work, and using recycled or FSC-certified paper and envelopes made from 100 percent post-consumer waste.

CSU-Chico has been honored for its leadership role in sustainability and environmental awareness and education. The university’s Green Campus Program won a Best Practices award for student energy efficiency, and the National Wildlife Federation awarded the university the Grand Prize for efforts to reduce global warming. It was ranked eighth on a list of top green colleges and universities by Grist, a Web environmental news and comment site.

The university’s Institute for Sustainable Development contributed funding to help cover costs related to the FSC certification process.