Environmental Principles

Andersen Windows Receives Forest Stewardship Council Certification

BAYPORT, Minn. (Jan 20, 2009) — Andersen Windows, the leading brand of windows and doors, has received Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain-of-Custody certification.  This certification is among the first of its kind in the window and door industry and is awarded to companies that meet FSC standards for traceability in their wood supply chain. 

The certification was awarded by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), the leader in third-party, independent green building product certification.  Before a product may carry an FSC label, all stages of the production, distribution, and sale of the product must be independently evaluated and the wood must be tracked from the certified forest to the finished product. 

“Andersen approaches sustainability at every level and for us it begins in the forests where we source the wood for our products,” said J Glasnapp, vice president of Corporate Sustainability and Quality at Andersen Corporation.  “We are committed to environmental stewardship and our FSC Chain-of-Custody certification supports this philosophy and assures our customers that their purchase supports the highest forestry standards.”

In addition to its FSC certification, Andersen is one of the only manufacturers in the industry to have received certification from Green Seal; was one of the first window manufacturers accepted into the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR® Program; and was the 2007 Minnesota Environmental Award winner for its steam generating facility in Bayport, which uses wood byproducts from Andersen’s manufacturing process as the Bayport plant’s energy source. 

The FSC Chain-of-Custody certification will enable Andersen customers to earn points in the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Materials and Resources Credit 7: Certified Wood.  Andersen products also help earn LEED points in other categories including Energy & Atmosphere and Indoor Environmental Quality.

About the Forest Stewardship Council
FSC promotes responsible management of the world’s forests through the development of voluntary, internationally recognized forest management standards and the most widely recognized forest certification program globally.  The FSC certification program supports biodiversity, protects streamsides, ensures protection of high conservation value forests, assures consideration of human benefits, provides for stakeholder input, and ensures long-term timber supplies.

SCS developed its Forest Conservation Program in 1991 in response to growing worldwide concern over the fate of the earth’s forests.  It was one of the world’s first certification programs to recognize responsible forest management practices.  SCS played a role in the formation of the FSC, and subsequently was among the first certifiers to become accredited to offer FSC endorsed certification services.

About Scientific Certification Systems
For over two decades, SCS has developed internationally recognized standards and certification programs aimed at establishing the highest levels of environmental improvements, social accountability, and product performance.  As the leader in third-party, independent green building product certification, SCS was the first company to offer manufacturers a program for verifying the accuracy of environmental claims on products.  SCS certification programs for building products include Indoor Air Quality, Sustainable Choice, Environmentally Preferable Products, Recycled Content, Biodegradability, and more.  For more information, please visit www.scscertified.com.

About Andersen Windows
The Andersen® brand is the most recognized and most used brand in the window and patio door industry. For a local dealer, more information or a copy of the Andersen limited warranty, visit www.andersenwindows.com, or call 1-800-426-4261.

Note to editors: Visit the Andersen Press Room at www.andersenwindows.com/pressroom for more information.

“Andersen” is a  registered trademark of Andersen Corporation.  ©2009 Andersen Corporation. All rights reserved.