First meeting of a group of timber users, traders and representatives of environmental and human-rights organisations in California, USA.  This diverse group of all identified the need for a credible system that could identify well-managed forests as source of responsibly produced forest products.
At this meeting it was agreed that this system would be based on a global consensus of  what good forest management means. The name "Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)" was coined at this meeting.

1990-1993

Intensive consultation processes in ten countries were held and found widespread support for a worldwide certification and accreditation system covering all forest types independent of ownership or geographic location and including natural forests as well as plantations.

1992

March Washington D.C., USA. Interim FSC Board of Directors established.

1993

First FSC certificates issued (forest management certificate in Mexico, chain of custody certificate in the USA).
October FSC Founding Assembly in Toronto, Canada with 130 participants from 26 countries. First FSC Board of Directors elected.

1994

April First FSC Executive Director appointed - Mr. Tim Synnott.
Summer The office of the FSC Secretariat opened in Oaxaca, Mexico with three staff.
Founding members approve FSC Principles and Criteria, together with the FSC Statutes (today called By-Laws).
The Forest Stewardship Council is now officially born.

1996

February FSC is established as a legal entity in Mexico.
First Accreditation Contracts Forest Management certification were signed and awarded to fours certification bodies. The first certified and labelled FSC product, a wooden spatula, became available in the UK.
FSC UK is endorsed as the first FSC Working Group.
Principle 10 for plantations ratified by the FSC membership.
June The first FSC General Assembly was held in Oaxaca, Mexico.

1997

January First FSC National Standard was endorsed in Sweden. Group certification for forest management was introduced.

1998

First Non-Timber Forest Product working group meeting was held in Brazil.
Mid 10 million hectares certified to FSC standards.
November First FSC Annual Conference.

1999

June Second FSC General Assembly in Oaxaca.
The first FSC certified and labelled non-timber forest product was available - Chicle gum from Mexico. The first complete book printed on FSC-certified paper: "A Living Wage" by Lawrence B. Glickman.
End Tenth certification body accredited. The new Millennium brings rapid expansion and recognition.

2000

Global Certified Trade Fair in London, UK is held with more than 1000 participants from 52 countries.
November Second FSC Annual Conference.

2001

December FSC receives the City of Göteborg International Environmental Prize.

2002

Spring Policies on Group Certification of chain of custody, and sampling for multi-site organizations developed. The Board of Directors made the decision to establish the FSC International Centre in Bonn, Germany.

April Forest Leadership Forum, Conference and Trade Fair was held in Atlanta, USA, with about 1,350 visitors from 45 countries and 200 exhibitors.

September FSC Board of Directors endorses FSC Social Strategy. The objective is to effectively deliver the social benefits of certification.

November Third FSC General Assembly of Members, held in Oaxaca, Mexico.

2003

January The FSC Secretariat is relocated from Oaxaca, Mexico to the FSC International Centre in Bonn, Germany with a staff of 25 people. 
FSC establishes FSC Regional Office in Africa. 20 000 FSC certified products on the market.

December 40 million hectares of FSC certified forests worldwide, with 10 million hectares certified in 2003 alone. Current facts and figures.

2004

First FSC Trade Fair showing exclusively FSC products in Brazil. FSC 10-year anniversary. First FSC Global Paper Forum. FSC Russia Regional Office opens. FSC SLIMF Standards come into force after two years of development. The FSC ‘Small and Low Intensity Management Forest’ Initiative has developed these streamlined standards to further equitable access of FSC certification also with small-scale, community-based, low-intensity pr non-timber product operations. The SLIMF Standards are one outcome of the FSC Social Strategy.

September Launch of the FSC Plantations Review.

December FSC wins prestigious ALCAN prize for sustainability and is awarded one million USD over three years for the contribution it has made towards improving forest management around the world.

2005

January FSC opens Russia national office.

December Fourth FSC General Assembly in Manaus, Brazil. More than 300 FSC members attend. FSC members of the Global South are represented in unprecedented force and submit the majority of motions.

2006

March FSC creates Accreditation Services International GmbH (ASI) to manage the FSC accreditation program.

April Second FSC Certified Trade Fair in Brazil.

May More than 10 million ha of tropical forest certified to FSC standards. This reaffirms FSC as the only international forest management standard proven to work effectively around the world – including the tropics.

Spring FSC market recognition reaches all-time high in Europe. In Switzerland, more than half the population recognizes the FSC label. FSC conquers the paper market in Europe – turnover in FSC products increases by 50%.

July FSC Project Certification Standard approved. FSC complies with the ISEAL Code of Good Practice which attests the credibility for setting international social and environmental standards.

November FSC Plantations Policy Working Group finalizes report marking the end of the policy phase of FSC Plantations Review Process. Proposed changes to FSC Principles and Criteria will be presented to FSC General Assembly for a vote by the FSC membership.

October FSC Controlled Wood standards come into force. FSC Controlled Wood clarifies requirements for the non-certified part in FSC Mixed products and helps FSC Chain of Custody certified companies avoid unacceptable sources of wood.

2007

January Third FSC Global Paper Forum in Frankfurt, Germany, alongside ‘Paperworld’, a major international trade fair on paper and paper products. The successful turnout is an indication of the rapid growth of the FSC paper market.

March Review of the global governance structure of the FSC network begins. Proposal will be presented to next FSC General Assembly in 2008.

April Technical Review Phase of FSC Plantations Review Process begins. Final guidelines and tools for forest and plantation managers expected to be presented at FSC General Assembly in 2008.

September Global FSC Strategy approved by the FSC Board of Directors.

2008

June Fourth FSC Executive Director appointed - Mr. Andre de Freitas.