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| The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) has gained international recognition by the PEFC Council, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes. An independent assessment showed that SFI complies with the international PEFC requirements for national forest certification systems. PEFC endorsed systems around the globe, including SFI, now account for more than 175 million hectares, an area larger than the combined forest area of all 25 member countries of the European Union.
"We are delighted that it has independently been confirmed that the SFI Program meets the high international PEFC standards", said Mr William Banzhaf, President of the Sustainable Forestry Board representing SFI. "The PEFC endorsement will further help SFI certificate holders to demonstrate their corporate social responsibility and guarantee them access to international markets for certified paper and timber products."
"PEFC has more than tripled its certified forest area in the last twelve months", said Mr Ben Gunneberg, Secretary General of the PEFC Council, welcoming the successful endorsement. "It is evident that PEFC has become the benchmark, which independent national forest certification systems all over the world aim to achieve. The availability of PEFC certified wood and paper products increases significantly with the more than 50 million hectares that have been certified under the SFI system. This is very good news for consumers of products from sustainably managed sources. PEFC certification is positively impacting on the world's forests", Mr Gunneberg added, pointing to a recent independent study on certification in Northern Europe, which revealed that PEFC certification improves and enhances sustainable forest management.
"We are also observing a fast growing market recognition for PEFC certified timber and paper products", Mr Gunneberg continued. "The number of timber and paper processing and trading companies with PEFC Chain of Custody certification has nearly doubled in the last twelve months, ranging from renowned enterprises like the international wine barrel producers Seguin Moreau from France to the paper merchant Antalis in Germany."
For more information please contact:
Mr Oliver Scholz, Communications Manager PEFC Council
Tel. + 352 26 25 90 59
Mr William Banzhaf, President Sustainable Forestry Board SFB
Tel. +1 703 797 25 06
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Editor Notes
SAVCOR Indufor Study on certification systems
The study "Effectiveness and Efficiency of FSC and PEFC forest certification on pilot areas in Nordic countries" was commissioned by the Federation of Nordic Forest Owners' Organisations and published in November 2005 (www.nordicforestry.org).
Forest Certification
Forest certification is a process, which provides an assurance mechanism to purchasers of wood and paper products that the wood used in the products comes from sustainably managed forests. Sustainably managed forests are those whose management implements performance standards based on internationally agreed environmental, social and economical requirements.
PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes)
PEFC is a framework for the mutual recognition of credible national or regional forest certification schemes that have been developed based on internationally recognised requirements for sustainable forest management. Since its launch in 1999, PEFC has become the largest forest certification umbrella organisation covering national schemes from all over the world, delivering hundreds of millions of tonnes of wood to the processing industry and then onto the market place from more than 175 million hectares of certified forests. PEFC has strong grass roots support from many stakeholders including the forestry sector, governments, trade associations, trade unions and non-governmental organisations.
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