Justifying Paper Certification
What Does Being Certified Get Me?
Certification ensures that your in-plant's processes have been verified and validated by an accredited third-party certifying body though the independent auditing of systems to established standards. It also allows you to be able to "brand" a product with a graphic identity label controlled through licensing agreements and third-party approval (just like a sports team or university logo) that is recognized and accepted in the marketplace. All of this comes down to two things: credibility and transparency. If it wasn't so, why would so many organizations require certified products, certified vendors and/or certified labeling, when in many cases it does cost more?
Vic Nathan Barkin has more than 35 years of experience in the printing, paper and wood products industries and currently owns a consulting practice specializing in business development, workflow, and technology implementation, focusing on “Green Procurement and Production” practices. Vic is a QMS Lead Auditor certified to ISO 9001:2008 standards, is a consultant for the Rainforest Alliance as an FSC Chain of Custody and Controlled Wood senior auditor, is an FSC, SFI and PEFC lead auditor for PricewaterhouseCoopers and SGS North America, and has engaged in more than 700 site assessments and audits.
