ITC's Bhadrachalam unit gets FSC certificate on fibre sourcing

Diversified business group ITC today said its pulp, paper and paperboard manufacturing facility at Bhadrachalam has been certified for responsible sourcing of fibre by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), an NGO.

"India's largest integrated pulp and paper and paperboard manufacturing facility of ITC at Bhadrachalam has been awarded the FSC Chain of Custody certificate," the company said in a statement.

The Chain of Custody (CoC) certificate for paper and paperboard manufacturers is awarded after stringent audits seeking to establish the traceability of the fibre being used in their productions, it added.

"This certification provides a unique competitive edge to ITC's finepapers and paperboards in an increasingly environment-conscious world," the statement said.

"The auditors verify that all material comes from known, legal sources which do not threaten the ecological balance and high conservation values of forests," ITC claimed.

FSC, which promotes responsible management of the world's forests, is a certification system providing internationally recognised standard-setting, trademark assurance and accreditation services to companies, organisations and communities interested in responsible forestry, it added.