Ann Arbor, MI  (August 8, 2008)-Edwards Brothers announced that is has received Chain-of-Custody certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) for both its Ann Arbor and Lillington, North Carolina, manufacturing facilities.  By certifying that environmentally and socially responsible practices have been followed in the production of wood products, the Council and those who adhere to its standards promote the preservation of forests and the wildlife that dwells there.

"This new certification is part of a larger, ongoing effort at Edwards Brothers to be responsible corporate citizens and to better serve our customers, who are increasingly looking for environmentally sound alternatives," said John Edwards, President and CEO of Edwards Brothers.  "FSC Certification is another step in our total program to balance cost-effective manufacturing processes while preserving our natural resources.  At Edwards Brothers, accountability is sustainability."

FSC certification serves as an inventory control system that verifies the source of papers utilized in manufacturing and tracks these certified products throughout the inventory and distribution process.  To become certified, companies work with accredited, independent certification agents who evaluate both forest management activities and chain-of-custody tracking of materials passing through mills, manufacturers, and distributors.

Edwards Brothers is also in the process of securing certification from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Inc. (SFI), another organization dedicated to responsible forest management.  That certification should be complete within two months.

Edwards added: "We've actually been an active recycler for over 50 years.  Nearly all materials entering our plants leave as finished books; virtually all of the rest is recycled.  Our goal is to have less than 1 percent going to landfills and we're nearly there.  These certifications, combined with our ongoing company-wide conservation and recycling initiative, demonstrate Edwards Brothers' long-term commitment to the environment."