I recently talked to Kenneth Norris, Contributing Editor of Pulp & Paper International, about the latest SFI Progress Report, and was pleased to see a wonderful account of our discussion in RISI.
The article, Good forest management much more than certification, not only did a great job of capturing the reasons behind the SFI program’s “bigger picture” approach to third-party forest certification; but also encouraged readers to consider some of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for forest certification programs. At SFI, the bigger picture means integrity in the work we do; supporting communities and conservation initiatives, and promoting responsible forest management across the supply chain.
I told RISI that while I’m proud of the growth of our program over the past years, our real success comes from what we are able to achieve with our many partners – including conservation groups, public agencies, academics and community organizations.
The RISI article also points to the importance of having a choice of certification standards. A healthy competitive environment makes us all better – and that’s great for forests, for communities and for the marketplace. It will help us address what is becoming an even more complex landscape with changes in everything from climate to land ownership demands to business contexts.
