Successful FSC ISO 19011 Course in Japan

In our December newsletter, we proudly announced Soil Association Certification’s approval as a Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) Training provider - one of only six approved FSC training providers, globally, and one of only two approved providers for ISO 19011. Following this success, a team travelled from Bristol to Japan at the end of January to begin training some new Chain of Custody (COC) auditors.

 

Based in Tokyo, the 4 day auditor induction training course covered the relevant ISO and COC elements required by both FSC and PEFC; once completed – and passed – the trainees would then be able to focus on the practical aspects of becoming qualified auditors. Due to its mountainous topography, almost 70% of Japan is forested, with nearly 20% classified as primary forest: the most biodiverse form of forest. Supporting sustainable forest management and COC certification is therefore crucial.

It was a very cold trip (with temperatures reaching the lowest recorded in Tokyo for 40 years!), but the reception was wonderfully warm. All trainees (either employed by Soil Association Certification's agent company in Japan or working as independent consultants) focussed extremely well, and provided both knowledge and experience to a very technical, intense week. Some will now go on to help organise and plan COC audits across Japan, whilst one consultant is helping to rebuild the scientific institute of which he was previously a part, but was tragically destroyed by the tsunami of 2011. All will go on to develop their auditing skills and hopefully join the team of auditors already working hard to support the growing business of forest and COC certification throughout Japan.

For more information on forestry, COC or ISO training courses available through Soil Association Certification, please email forestrytraining@soilassociation.org or have a look at our Training courses.