Public consultation: SFI forest certification system

23 March 2021 PEFC system news

Stakeholders from around the world are invited to give feedback on the revised Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) forest certification system. Deadline for comments is 11 May. Give your feedback now!

SFI, a PEFC national member in North America, revised their forest certification system, which covers both the United States (USA) and Canada, following the entry into force of the revised 2018 PEFC Sustainable Forest Management standard.

After revising the system in line with PEFC requirements, SFI submitted the revised system to PEFC for endorsement. The national system is now undergoing the PEFC assessment process, carried out by an independent PEFC Registered Assessor. It must pass this process and be approved by the PEFC General Assembly before it can achieve endorsement.

An important aspect of the assessment process is the public consultation. Over the sixty-day consultation, stakeholders from around the world can give their comments and provide feedback on any aspect of the system. The Registered Assessor will use the information received from this consultation in their assessment of the system.

Need more information?

To provide you with additional information about this revised system, we held a webinar on 22 March at 14:00 CET. Watch the recording:

PEFC and SFI

SFI joined the PEFC alliance in 2001 and its forest certification system achieved PEFC endorsement in 2005. It was re-endorsed again in 2011 and 2016. There are over 120 million hectares of PEFC/SFI certified forest area in Canada and more than 26 million hectares in the United States.

Maintaining endorsement

For a national system to maintain its endorsement, it must meet a series of endorsement milestones. These milestones are linked to the national periodic review of the system and the sustainable forest management standard.

National systems go through a periodic review five years after their national approval (first endorsement milestone). The periodic review includes a gap analysis, public consultation and consideration of feedback received while the standard is in force.

Find out more about PEFC ensures national standards continue to meet expectations.