KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) Inc. was recognized this week for the greatest increase in forest certification of the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) national members at the PEFC General Assembly. SFI is one of 38 PEFC National Governing Bodies representing forest certification standards from around the globe at the PEFC General Assembly this week in Malaysia. SFI-certified area has grown to just over 100 million hectares in North America, representing 25 percent growth since last year.
Other PEFC members recognized for the greatest growth in certified forest area were PEFC France, and PEFC Poland. Award recipients for the greatest growth in PEFC COC certificates were PEFC France, MTCC (Malaysia) and PEFC Spain.
Ben Gunneberg, Secretary General of PEFC International, stated “I am so pleased to see PEFC members contribute to certified forest area and chain of custody growth throughout the supply chain across North America, Europe and Asia.”
“Organizations that have achieved SFI certification since the last PEFC General Assembly in November 2012 include such a diversity of forest management certificate holders. SFI certified organizations include university experimental forests, state lands, provincial lands, forestry community co-ops including small logging operators, First Nations to large corporations,” said SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow, who participated in the PEFC General Assembly.
ABOUT SFI
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) advances sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. We are an independent, nonprofit organization that leverages four interconnected pillars of work: standards, conservation, community, and education. SFI works with the forest sector, conservation groups, academics, researchers, brand owners, resource professionals, landowners, educators, local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and governments. Collaborating with our network, we leverage SFI-certified forests and products as powerful tools to help solve sustainability challenges such as climate action, conservation of biodiversity, education of future generations, and sustainable economic development.
MEDIA CONTACT
Christine Leduc
VP, Communications and Government Relations
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
613-706-1114
media@forests.org
About PEFC
The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is an international nonprofit, non–governmental organisation dedicated to promoting Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) through independent third-party certification. It works throughout the entire forest supply chain to promote good practice in the forest and to ensure that timber and non-timber forest products are produced with respect for the highest ecological, social and ethical standards. Thanks to its eco-label, customers and consumers are able to identify products from sustainably managed forests. PEFC is an umbrella organisation which works by endorsing national forest certification systems developed through multi-stakeholder processes and tailored to local priorities and conditions. More information: www.pefc.org.
Media Contact
Thorsten Arndt
PEFC Head of Communications
+41 (0)22 799 45 40
t.arndt@pefc.org
