FSC, USGBC Accused of Deception, Anti-Competitive Practices

A group of forestry industry entities has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) alleging unfair and deceptive trade practices and asking the commission to investigate.

The complaint, submitted by the law firm Steptoe & Johnson on behalf of a group calling itself the Coalition for Fair Forest Certification, also points a finger at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for what it calls “anticompetitive behavior”—namely, awarding LEED credits for wood certified by FSC but not other certifying bodies.

The firm would not disclose (nor could

EBN confirm) identities of the coalition members, but it is believed that many are also members of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, which has sought equal treatment under LEED but which offers certifications that many see as less rigorous than those offered by FSC.