New Board members elected at PEFC’s 22nd General Assembly

5 December 2017 News

Representatives from nature conservation, tropical forestry and the forest industry have all be elected onto the PEFC International Board, following a unanimous vote by the PEFC General Assembly in the Helsinki, Finland.

Alongside two returning Board members, Riikka Joukio (forest industry and processing) and Hervé Le Bouler (NGO), we are delighted to welcome two new board members: Gerald Pfiffinger (ENGO and conservation) and Mohd Nurudeen Iddrisu (tropical forestry).

"We need forest certification in developing countries," said Dr. Iddrisu, following his acceptance onto the Board. "Now as part of the PEFC Board, I want to take it upon myself to reach out to my fellow ‘countrymen’ in the tropical countries in order to get certification into the national agenda."

Dr. Iddrisu following his election onto the PEFC Board 

“During my first term on the Board I discovered the diversity of PEFC. Now my role for the next few years is to help work on our future vision. Forestry is the solution for so many of the world’s problems, and by going forward together we can realize this future,” commented Mr. Le Bouler, who is also starting his second term.

“My focus will be on enhancing the market value of PEFC and ensuring business’s views are adequately represented,” said Ms. Riikka Joukio, who is starting her second term on the Board.

Departing Board members

We also said goodbye to three members of the Board: Sheam Satkuru-Granzella, Joseph Lawson and Mike Rose.

“Joe has been on the board since 2011, Mike since 2015 and Sheam has been with us since 2009, including six years as Vice Chair,” said Ben Gunneberg, CEO of PEFC International

“We would like to thank them all for their contributions and dedication to PEFC, and wish them well in their future undertakings.”

Nominations Committee

There were also changes to the Nominations Committee, the body responsible for ensuring the balance of the Board. Kit Prins, who has been on the Committee since 2012, stepped down after six years.

Esa Härmälä was elected to join Dr. Bin Che Yeom (Dato) Freezailah and William V. Street Jr. on the 2018 Nominations Committee.