PEFC Toolkit Supports National Forest Certification System Development

19 December 2013 Driving innovation

“Drawing on PEFC’s 15 year experience in leading standard setting processes and running forest certification systems across 36 countries, this Toolkit brings together the collective knowledge of PEFC members and presents it in a format to inspire and guide other organizations embarking on the process around the world.”

Sarah Price, PEFC Head of Projects & Development speaking at the opening of a recent publication launch event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. “Today, we are extremely excited to finally share the results of a long, collaborative effort.”

‘Your Toolkit: Developing a National Forest Certification System’ was launched during one of a series of side events held on the second day of PEFC’s Stakeholder Dialogue event, 14-15 November 2013. The side event brought together PEFC members, potential members and a range of partners and participants to reflect on the importance of PEFC’s approach requiring forest certification systems to be developed at national level by local stakeholders.

PEFC challenges to excel

“Being a member of PEFC Council pulls us forward as an organization: it challenges us to excel but also shows us that it is possible,” commented Ana Noreiga, PEFC Spain, during a panel discussion. “This support is priceless for our national organization and I strongly encourage other organizations developing national certification systems to consider PEFC membership early on”.

Step-by-step towards PEFC endorsement

Designed to address the needs of organizations currently leading standard setting processes, the Toolkit provides a step-by-step guide to developing a national forest certification system aligned with PEFC’s globally recognized sustainability benchmark requirements. It gives hands-on advice for practitioners, summarizes complex requirements with innovative graphics and captures recommendations from PEFC and its existing members who have completed the same process.

For what can often be a lengthy process, the toolkit provides a roadmap to ensure people don’t lose sight of where they are at and differentiates 5 key phases of the process: Your organization, Developing your System, PEFC Council membership, PEFC Endorsement and Running your System.

“For PEFC International, the Toolkit will enable us to better deliver technical guidance to the many organizations we’re working with all over the world. If we can support the successful establishment of national certification systems in more countries, we can expand forest certification and bring more of the world’s forests under sustainable forest management,” concluded Ms. Price. “This is, of course, our endgame.”

If you’re interested to join PEFC’s community of learning around standard setting or to keep informed about PEFC’s expanding support service and related workshops and events, please contact development@pefc.org.