PEFC/SFI Joint Conference: building on our shared learning and furthering our collaboration
For the first time, PEFC and SFI have brought their flagship events of the year together.
PEFC/SFI Joint Conference: building on our shared learning and furthering our collaboration
19 May 2023 Event report
“On behalf of PEFC, we wish to acknowledge our appreciation for being welcomed as guests by the indigenous communities to their territory,” said David Ford, Vice Chair of the PEFC International Board, as he opened the second day of the joint SFI Conference and PEFC Week in Vancouver, Canada.
“We have been touched by the beauty of this place, humbled by the warmth and kindness of our hosts, and inspired by the open and collaborative engagements.”
For the first time, PEFC and SFI have brought their flagship events of the year together. It has been a unique occasion to bring the knowledge and experience of the PEFC network to a vibrant national setting, enabling us to learn from each other.
Our dedication to healthy forests, forest communities, forest workers and forest economy
On Monday, we convened our first ever face-to-face meeting of the Chairs of our national members, with the purpose of engaging elected leaders in strategic discussions about global priorities. Monday was also the 28th PEFC General Assembly, the moment when we vote on the key decisions of our organization.
“A key highlight of the General Assembly was the conclusion of the 18-month, bottom-up, strategic planning process, and I am pleased to report that the alliance members approved the PEFC Alliance 2030 Strategic Plan,” David highlighted.
“Our new 2030 strategy is built on a strong framework of four strategic pathways and fourteen key performance indicators. It illustrates our dedication to healthy forests, healthy forest communities, healthy forest workers, and a healthy forest economy.”
The PEFC 2030 Strategy will be published on the PEFC website next week.
Ensuring the future relevancy of forest certification
Tuesday morning, the PEFC and SFI Boards held a historic joint meeting to explore opportunities for collaboration. This was an amazing occasion for diverse perspectives and backgrounds from all over the world to come together to ensure the future relevancy of forest certification.
“Our discussions brought into clear focus that the PEFC and SFI strategies are in alignment. Now we must seek and enhance common ground on our tactics to achieve our organization’s visions and missions,” David remarked.
David’s closing words
“I want to thank our leaders, Kathy and Michael, the SFI and PEFC Boards, and the SFI and PEFC staff for their vision, leadership, commitment, and energy to bring us together at this conference to build upon our shared learning and further our collaboration,” David concluded.
“And I end with a sincere thank you to all the PEFC and SFI family members for coming together from across the globe this week. It is important that all of us bring and share our ideas and energy to innovate and deliver solutions to our global challenges through certified sustainable forest management.”
To find out more about PEFC’s activities, see our 2022 Annual Review.