As the largest forest certification system globally PEFC is the certification system of choice, with over 230 million hectares of forests globally upholding PEFC’s Sustainability Benchmarks. To date, over 10,000 companies have achieved PEFC Chain of Custody certification, offering tens of thousands of PEFC-certified products globally.
With alternative forest and Chain of Custody certification systems available, there are good reasons why so many people are choosing PEFC. Here we present some of the unique and distinguishing features of PEFC when compared to other international certification systems.
As the largest forest certification system globally PEFC is the certification system of choice, with over 230 million hectares of forests globally upholding PEFC’s Sustainability Benchmarks. To date, over 10,000 companies have achieved PEFC Chain of Custody certification, offering tens of thousands of PEFC-certified products globally.
With alternative forest and Chain of Custody certification systems available, there are good reasons why so many people are choosing PEFC. Here we present some of the unique and distinguishing features of PEFC when compared to other international certification systems.
As the largest forest certification system globally PEFC is the certification system of choice, with over 230 million hectares of forests globally upholding PEFC’s Sustainability Benchmarks. To date, over 10,000 companies have achieved PEFC Chain of Custody certification, offering tens of thousands of PEFC-certified products globally.
With alternative forest and Chain of Custody certification systems available, there are good reasons why so many people are choosing PEFC. Here we present some of the unique and distinguishing features of PEFC when compared to other international certification systems.
As the largest forest certification system globally, PEFC is the certification system of choice, with over 300 million hectares of forests globally upholding PEFC’s Sustainability Benchmarks. To date, more than 20,000 companies have achieved PEFC Chain of Custody certification, offering tens of thousands of PEFC‐certified products globally.
With alternative forest and Chain of Custody certification systems available, there are good reasons why so many people are choosing PEFC. Here we present some of the unique and distinguishing features of PEFC when compared to other international certification systems.
PEFC upholds the highest standards without o Abiding by applicable laws exception o Safeguarding the basic rights of workers • Requires compliance with all fundamental ILO Conventions in forest management since 2001, • Includes social, health and safety requirements in setting new benchmarks for social issues; Chain of Custody certification.
• Is tailored to the specific needs of family and Level of stakeholder engagement equally high for all community‐owned forests, with lasting standards contributions to livelihoods and rural development; • Strictly separates standard‐setting, certification • Offers well‐established processes for group and accreditation to ensure complete certification, thereby offering access to certification independence and impartiality; and the marketplace for certified products from • Requires all national standards to be locally controlled forestry; independently developed with participation open • Sets the highest standards for forest certification to all interested parties; aligned with the majority of the world’s • Recognizes the importance of the nine major governments, including: groups as defined by Agenda 21; o Maintaining or enhancing biodiversity • Requires that all standards undergo public o Identifying, protecting and/or conserving consultation at national and international levels ecologically important forest areas and third‐party assessment; o Prohibiting forest conversions and excluding • Demands and implements regular revisions of certification of plantations established by national certification systems. conversions o Prohibiting use of the most hazardous Builds on intergovernmental agreements & globally chemicals and GMOs, minimizing the use of recognized processes pesticides • Builds its understanding of sustainable forest o Protecting workers’ rights and welfare, and management on broad societal consensus as encouraging local employment expressed in international and intergovernmental processes; o Recognizing the principle of free, prior and informed consent, the UN Declaration on • Supports the implementation of governmental Indigenous Peoples’ Rights, and the ILO agreements through a voluntary, market‐based Convention mechanism; o Respecting property, land tenure, customary and • Follows globally accepted ISO Guidelines for traditional rights; provisions for consultation with certification and accreditation. local people stakeholders
PEFC – Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification ICC Building C, Route de Pré-Bois 20, CP 1862, 1215 Geneva 15, Switzerland t +41 22 799 4540, f +41 22 799 4550, w www.pefc.org