Professional Documents
Culture Documents
IMPA C T S
IN THE FOREST
AND BEYOND
PEFC/01-00-01
ABOUT PEFC
MISSION STATEMENT
Our Vision: Our Purpose:
A world in which people Through the endorsement
manageforests sustainably. ofnational certification
systems, PEFCmotivates and
Our Mission: enables people to sustainably
To give society confidence manage theirforests and
thatpeople manage forests works to provide a market for
sustainably. theproducts ofthoseforests.
2
Introduction 2
Empowering smallholders
IMPACTS
& sustaining livelihoods 4
Addressing deforestation
& mitigating climate change 6
Promoting sustainable landscapes 8
Engaging stakeholders 10
Encouraging collaboration 12
1
INTRODUCTION
2
economic benefits, balance competing In addition to offering a forest
needs and maintain and enhance forest certificationsystem, an important
functions now and in the future. Forest partofPEFCs work is delivered through
certification is the tool to prove this projects and initiatives. Working in close
and to connect the consumer with the cooperation with partners around the
sustainable origins of their products. world, we use projects to build capacity,
improve market conditions for certified
products and develop solutions to further
advance sustainable forest management.
In support of emerging national
certification systems specifically, we
offer considerable support and guidance
to the organizations leading standard
development processes. Working in
collaboration throughout the process can
help to ensure that systems are developed
efficiently, in alignment with PEFCs
requirements and that valuable experience
gained in one country can be shared
withanother.
3
EMPOWERING SMALLHOLDERS
ANDSUSTAINING LIVELIHOODS
More than 30 per cent of the worlds By 2016, nearly one million smallholders
forest area is managed by family forest achieved certification through PEFC Group
owners, communities and indigenous Certification, a testament that it is apractical
peoples. While collectively this is a and cost-effective mechanism.
significant share of the global forest,
To further increase the number of
ata local level it is typically divided into
smallholders able to benefit from certification,
millions of small forest holdings.
PEFC is leading a project to expand Group
Without economies of scale, investment or Certification globally. Working with local and
proximity to the market, smallholders often international partners in various locations
face persistent challenges in accessing around the world, including Malaysia, Nepal,
the full value of their resource. This limits Thailand and Vietnam, we are learning about
the potential of forest management to the unique challenges facing smallholders
reduce poverty, support rural livelihoods and supporting the development of new
and contribute to economic development. andappropriate certification solutions.
Solutions are needed to assist
smallholders in overcoming these barriers
while reinforcing their continued role as
responsible stewards of the forest.
4
O U KNO W?
D I D Y
25% of Nepals forests Building PEFC Group
are managed bycommunities Certification in Vietnam
organized into 18,000 user groups.
In Thua Thien Hue Province,
Vietnam, we support the
strengthening of smallholder
Thailand is currently the worlds
cooperatives and cooperative
largest producer of natural rubber,
alliances. The project is increasing
with these rubber trees managed by
the capacity of cooperatives to
more than 1 million smallholders.
deliver forestry-related services,
After 25 to 30 years, the mature
to support smallholders in
trees are no longer productive
implementing sustainable forest
for rubber tapping and become a
practices, and to build stronger,
majorwood source.
more profitable business models
from their growing forest resource.
5
ADDRESSING DEFORESTATION
& MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE
Our planet is losing its natural forest From our unique position, PEFC works
cover at an unprecedented pace. toaddress deforestation through:
In light of climate change, bio- and
cultural diversity loss and rural poverty, Preventing forest degradation
we collectively need to upscale our PEFC-certified forests are managed
response to conserving and promoting in compliance with internationally
forests and optimizing their potential recognized sustainability requirements
tosolve our global challenges. and regularly monitored by third-party,
independent auditors. This ensures
Over the last decade, governments, that forest management activities
multinational companies, industry arenot leading to forest degradation,
associations and non-governmental acommon pre-condition of forests
organizations have been working thenconverted for alternative land use.
together to understand and tackle the
complex interactions that seemingly lead Prohibiting forest conversion
to deforestation in so many forest rich Within PEFC-certified forests there
countries. REDD+, FLEGT, Zero Net are strict requirements which control
Deforestation: these initiatives all take conversion. In addition, plantations
different forms but look to identify, influence established on land converted after
or eliminate the key drivers of deforestation. 2010 are not eligible for PEFC
certification.
Agriculture is generally acknowledged
Establishing supply chain
as the main driver of deforestation. In
transparency
comparison, only a small proportion of
Products carrying a PEFC logo or
global deforestation is caused directly from
certified claim have been delivered
the forest sector through the establishment
through a controlled supply chain
of plantations and overexploitation
whereby each operator has Chain
of timber. Nevertheless, PEFC works
of Custody certification in place and
within this space to reduce forestrys
must exercise due diligence to ensure
direct and indirect links to deforestation
that unwanted, controversial sources,
and to offer tools to protect companies
including conversion timber, do not
and land managers from exposure to
enter the product.
deforestationrisks.
6
Strengthening consumer trust whichin turn creates additional demand
Forest products that come from and ultimately increases the value of
responsibly managed, renewable forests. Creating additional value and
forests are part of the solution, not demand for forest products is one of
the problem. Certification and the the best ways to keep forests standing,
PEFC label on a product help to build as it prevents them from being cleared
consumer trust in forest products, for alternative landuses.
7
8
PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE
LANDSCAPES
With 7 billion people living on the in sustainable landscapes. By extending
planet, demands for food, fuel and the scope of certification throughout the
fiber continue to mount. Agriculture, landscape we can further encourage
conservation, development and other sustainable practices and support tree
land uses all compete for space. planting or forest restoration to deliver
optimal impacts.
Recognizing that there is an increasing
complexity in finding optimal balance for
our land use needs, there are movements Exploring the certification
towards a landscape approach to of trees outside forests
overcome traditional land management
Trees outside forests provide a
boundaries and consider land use
significant source of material to
decisions and interventions in a more
the forest products industry in
holistic way.
countries such as Thailand, where
In line with aspirations for more the paper companies are working
sustainable landscapes and urban closely with farmers to facilitate the
spaces, PEFC recognizes that trees growing of trees around land under
arealso grown and cultivated far beyond rice cultivation. Within this context,
forest boundaries. Creating shade in PEFC has been supporting local
home gardens, hedgerows throughout stakeholders in Thailand to identify
agricultural fields, refuge in urban spaces, the requirements that exemplify
or plantations for productive purposes, the best practice in tree farming. Our
integration of trees throughout landscapes work now continues, supporting
undoubtedly generates substantial social, the development of a full national
economic and environmental benefits. certification system, within which
Tree farming can also alleviate pressure these requirements for trees
on forests in places where natural forests outsideforests can be included.
are threatened. Thenon-wood forest
At international level, PEFC is also
products that the trees both inside and out
working to develop a certification
of forests produce also have the potential
solution for trees outside forests.
tocontribute significantly to increased
Themulti-stakeholder process
food security andrural livelihoods.
will build consensus around best
Clearly there is a role for forest practice and seek to offer a practical
certification to play in further promoting approach to enable farmers to
the planting of trees outside forests, access certification and meet
increasing wood production and bringing themarketsdemands.
recognition to the roles that trees play
9
ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS
Stakeholder dialogue and engagement itisessential that our standards benefit from
are crucial if we are to address any in-depth discussions and a consensus-driven
sustainability challenge effectively. process. To ensure this dialogue occurs,
Forcomplex issues there will always PEFC requires that interested stakeholders
be a range of perspectives, needs are identified, informed and invited to
and expectations and only through engage in standard-setting processes.
dialogue can consensus and lasting Moreover, revisions of all forest management
solutionsemerge. standards are required every five years
thereby encouraging an ongoing dialogue
PEFC provides ongoing mechanisms to
among stakeholders.
facilitate stakeholder dialogue on forestry
issues at national and international levels. PEFC has national members in 43countries
Our projects would not be possible without around the world. Each member is actively
close alignment to the expectations focused on enabling stakeholder dialogue
of local stakeholders, their knowledge within their certification system processes.
and support. Therefore, dialogue and
engagement with stakeholders is
fundamental to the success of the
projectswe are undertaking.
DID YOU
KNOW?
There are over 20 countries
currently developing national
forest certification systems
and closely following PEFCs
expert advice and best practice
instandard-setting.
10
Supporting national system development
PEFC is invested in continually The step-by-step guide gives hands-
expanding forest certification to on advice for organizations leading
additional countries as a means certification initiatives and shares many
to involve more people and bring valuable lessons from PEFC members
more forest area under sustainable on effective stakeholder engagement.
management. To expand PEFCs The toolkit is distributed at national,
global alliance, we provide support and regional and international workshops
guidance to organizations working to where PEFC delivers capacity
establish a national forest certification building and technical support on
system and eventually achieve thisimportantsubject.
PEFCendorsement.
Countries as wide-ranging as India,
One of the main resources that PEFC Macedonia, Mexico and Cameroon
utilizes in this regard is a publication are all currently receiving support
titled PEFC Toolkit: Developing a from PEFC to establish their national
National Forest Certification System. certification system.
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COLLABORATION
PEFC
Featured projects: FUND
Innovation:
Testing the use of remote sensing
Research: data and online technologies
Learning how to optimize tradeoffs tomonitor compliance
between timber extraction and managing withforestcertification
carbon stock within tropicalforests requirements inFinland
Partners: CIRAD, ONF, Partners: Forgis Oy,
EMBRAPA, CIFOR PEFC Finland
Markets:
Promoting
Expansion: consumption, demand
Expanding forest and appreciation
certification in for the wild foods
Ghana through originating in Spanish
establishing a PEFC- certified forests
recognized national
Partners: PEFC Spain,
certificationsystem
USSE, FIAB
Partners: Ghana
Working Group,
PAFC Cameroon Capacity Building:
Working with the Italian
Smallholders:
Institute of Design to bring
Supporting community forest thesustainable ethos of PEFC
owners in Indonesia to access into the world of fashion
certification and markets
Partners: PEFC Italy,
Partners: IFCC, CIFOR ItalianInstitute of Design
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PEFC Council
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www.pefc.org
Front cover photos: schab, Yatra (also p. 7), Huhtamaki Ltd (product & photography), PEFC, MTCC.
Page 1: Dmitrij Skorobogatov. Pages 2-3: South12th Photography, lkunl, Bohbeh, Fabio Lamanna, PEFC.
Pages 4-5: PEFC. Page 8: Jaggat Rashidi. Backcover: Quick Shot, alarich/PEFC.
Printed byinAtar
Updated December
on PEFC-certified
2016 paper
2016 PEFC
PEFC/15-31-1139
PEFC/01-00-01