À PROPOS DE LA RÉVISION DES NORMES
ABOUT THE PROCESS
SFI revises and updates the SFI Standards to incorporate the latest scientific information, respond to emerging issues and other initiatives. This open and transparent process includes engaging with the conservation community, Indigenous communities, forest products industry, brand owners, private forest landowners and public forest managers, government agencies, trade associations, landowner associations, academia and others.
Draft SFI standards will be publicly available throughout the revision processon the SFI website. The current SFI 2015-2019 Standards and Rules are extended through December 2021.
KEY MILESTONES
2019
LAUNCH STANDARDS REVISION
Call for SFI Standards Revision Task Group Nominees – September 3-30, 2019. Kick-off standard revision workshop at SFI Annual Conference – October 23, 2019. First public comment period (30 days) October 23 – November 22, 2019.
2020
DRAFT STANDARDS
Regional standards revision workshops May – June, 2020. Second public comment period (60 day) on first revised standards draft – May-June 2020. Task Groups, SFI Resources Committee and Board work on draft SFI Standards – all year.
2021
FINALIZE STANDARDS
Final approval of the revised SFI Standards and shared with SFI Community. SFI submits application for PEFC endorsement.
PEFC General Assembly approval of new revised SFI Standards.
2022
LAUNCH NEW SFI STANDARDS
New SFI Standards are launched in January 2022.
CONTACT US
SFI 2015-2019 Standards
Gregor Macintosh
Tel: 778-351-3358
Rachel Dierolf
SFI Office of Label Use
Tel: 613-274-1024
ATELIERS
SFI’s mission is to advance sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. As part of the collaborative process, SFI invites everyone to participate in the SFI Standard Revision process.
These May/June webinars are opportunities to comment on proposed revisions and enhancements to the SFI Standards. All SFI Standards and Guidance Documents are available for comment.
The webinars align with the second public comment period May 1 – June 30, 2020. These dedicated webinars focus on specific themes and requirements in the Standards, as listed in the table below. All comments and discussion during the webinars will be included for Task Group consideration.
Participants are eligible to earn Society of American Foresters Continuing Forestry Education (CFE) credits for each webinar (2-3 CFEs in Category 1) or a total of 19 credits/hours for the series. Canadian Institute of Forestry members can apply for each webinar to admin@cif-ifc.org.

Download the SFI Standards Revision Process Documents. This document includes overview and process information supporting the webinars
CONTACT US
SFI 2015-2019 Standards
Gregor Macintosh
Tel: 778-351-3358
Rachel Dierolf
SFI Office of Label Use
Tel: 613-274-1024
TOPIC | DATE | SCOPE OF DISCUSSION |
---|---|---|
Introduction of the New Draft Standards |
May 5, 20201:00 – 3:00 EDT |
SFI will present the major enhancements to the SFI Standards based on the first comment period. This webinar will serve as an informative webinar to introduce the series of themed webinars.
Missed the webinar? Access the recording here. |
Logger Training and Education |
May 6, 20201:00 – 3:00 EDT |
Logger training and education is a critical requirement in the SFI Standard to ensure all wood is harvested in a responsible way. This webinar will focus on new enhancements to the logger training requirements as well as increased recognition of Certified Logging Companies.
Missed the webinar? Access the recording here. |
French Translation – Introduction of the New Draft Standards |
May 15, 20201:00 – 4:00 EDT |
SFI will present this webinar in French with a focus on the major enhancements to the SFI Standards. There will be a question and answer portion for participants to ask questions or provide comments on recommendations.
Missed the webinar? Access the recording here. |
Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation |
May 21, 20201:00 – 3:00 EDT |
SFI identified the need to address climate change mitigation and adaptation in the SFI Standard through a new Objective. This webinar will focus on the new Objective, Performance Measures and Indicators.
Missed the webinar? Access the recording here. |
Conservation of Biological Diversity |
May 26, 20201:00 – 4:00 EDT |
This webinar will focus on the enhancements to Objective 4 in the Forest Management Standard and Objective 1 in the Fiber Sourcing Standard related to the conservation of biological diversity. SFI will share enhancements related to forest conversion in the Forest Management Standard.
Missed the webinar? Access the recording here. |
Chain of Custody, SFI Labels and Claims, and Controversial Sources |
May 28, 20201:00 – 3:00 EDT |
This webinar will focus on proposed enhancements to the SFI Chain of Custody Standard, labels and claims intended to provide greater clarity and consistency throughout the Standard. In addition, the webinar will review a proposed new definition for controversial sources.
Missed the webinar? Access the recording here. |
Indigenous Perspective |
June 8, 20201:00 – 4:00 EDT |
This webinar will focus on receiving input on how SFI addresses Indigenous Peoples’ rights in the SFI Standard. Enhancements to the Standard were made to ensure meaningful relationship-building and rights recognition processes.
Missed the webinar? Access the recording here. |
Urban Forestry |
June 9, 20201:00 – 3:00 EDT |
Urban and community forests are a significant resource in North America and are likely to continue to increase in significance based upon demographic, economic, and environmental trends. This webinar will explore the potential value of collaborating to develop a customized urban forest certification standard.
Missed the webinar? Access the recording here. |
Recap webinar |
June 25, 20201:00 – 3:00 EDT |
This webinar will recap all discussions and conversations from the previous webinars and allow anyone to comment on other parts of the SFI Standards revision that may not have been discussed.
Missed the webinar? Access the recordings here. |
GROUPES DE TRAVAIL
SFI Standards Revision Task Groups review all comments and develop the draft standards. The Task Groups are established for the duration of the standard revision until completion in 2021. There are three Task Groups:
Forest Management (Section 2)
Fiber Sourcing (Section 3)
Chain of Custody & Labels (Sections 4 & 5)
The SFI standards revision process is based on balanced representation from many different interest groups. This inclusion is also reflected in Task Group composition reflecting a diversity of interest groups as well as a balanced representation of expertise, gender and geographical location. Examples of interest groups part of the standard revision process include:
Forest owner/manager
Manufacturer/processor/trader of forest-based products
Conservation organization
Customers & consumers
Scientific and technological community
Logging professionals
Workers & trade unions
Indigenous Peoples
Government
Education/academic group
Social-purpose organization
TASK GROUP RESPONSIBILITIES
Task Group members are expected to participate in the following tasks, under the direction of the respective Task Group Chairs:
Review submitted comments from public comment
periods and Standard Revision Workshops that
correspond to each task group’s focus area.
Prepare revised Standards text (first and subsequent
drafts) for review by the SFI Resources Committee,
incorporating their feedback as required.
RESOURCES
SFI Resources Committee
External Review Panel
SFI Board
SFI Task Group Terms of Reference
English / French
CONTACT US
SFI 2015-2019 Standards
Gregor Macintosh
Tel: 778-351-3358
Rachel Dierolf
SFI Office of Label Use
Tel: 613-274-1024
KEY DOCUMENTS
The SFI Standards revision process is part of SFI’s commitment to continual improvement. During this process, the standards have undergone two public comment periods, more than 30 task group and subgroup meetings and calls, multiple check points with the SFI Resources Committee and the SFI Board of Directors. SFI also presented 10 webinars over the summer on enhancements regarding specific topics such as climate change, logger training, forest conservation, and Indigenous Peoples’ rights and recognition.
DOWNLOAD A SPECIFIC SFI STANDARD IN TRACK CHANGE
CONTACT US
SFI 2015-2019 Standards
Gregor Macintosh
Tel: 778-351-3358
Rachel Dierolf
SFI Office of Label Use
Tel: 613-274-1024
PUBLIC COMMENTS
The Standards revision process ensures credibility and transparency allowing everyone to participate. Broad involvement from the conservation community, Indigenous communities, forest products industry, brand owners, private forest landowners and public forest managers, government agencies, trade associations, landowner associations, academia and others is integral to the development of the next SFI Standards. The online public comment period is part of this process.
SFI PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS
There are two public comment periods. The first comment period on the 2015-2019 Standards and Rules ran from October 23 – November 22, 2019. The second comment period on the revised SFI Standards runs for 60 days through May 1 – June 30, 2020. All SFI Standards and Guidance Documents are available for comment.
The SFI Standard Revision Task Groups will consider all feedback from the public comment periods and the SFI Standard Revision Workshops.
About the SFI Task Groups
The SFI Resources Committee is required to consider all feedback from the public comment periods and workshops.
About the SFI Resources Committee
All comments are also reviewed by the SFI External Review Panel who assesses how all comments have been addressed.
About the ERP
The Revised Standards in both track changes and clean versions are posted on the KEY DOCUMENTS page.
SFI has also published a document highlighting major enhancements (french version) to the SFI Standards, available on the KEY DOCUMENTS page.
The Revised Standards in both track changes and clean versions are posted on the KEY DOCUMENTS page.
SFI has also published a document highlighting major enhancements to the SFI Standards, available on the KEY DOCUMENTS page.