Public Consultation: Swiss forest certification system

24 February 2021 PEFC system news

Stakeholders from around the world are invited to give feedback on the revised national forest certification system for Switzerland. Deadline for comments is 9 April.

PEFC Switzerland revised the country’s national forest certification system following the entry into force of the revised 2018 PEFC Sustainable Forest Management standard.

After revising the national system in line with PEFC requirements, PEFC Switzerland submitted the revised system to PEFC. The national system is now undergoing the PEFC assessment process, carried out by an independent PEFC Registered Assessor. It must pass this process and be approved by the PEFC General Assembly before it can achieve endorsement.

An important aspect of the assessment process is the public consultation. Over the sixty-day consultation, stakeholders from around the world can give their comments and provide feedback on any aspect of the system. The Registered Assessor will use the information received from this consultation in their assessment of the system.

Need more information?

In order to provide you with additional information about this revised national system, we held a webinar on 22 February, at 10:00 CET. Watch the recording:

PEFC in Switzerland

PEFC Switzerland was among the first countries to join the PEFC alliance back in June 1999. Its national forest certification system achieved PEFC endorsement in 2001, and has been re-endorsed twice since then, in 2008 and 2014. There are currently more than 200,000 hectares of PEFC-certified forest area in the country.

Maintaining endorsement

For a national system to maintain its endorsement, it must meet a series of endorsement milestones. These milestones are linked to the national periodic review of the system and the sustainable forest management standard.

National systems go through a periodic review five years after their national approval (first endorsement milestone). The periodic review includes a gap analysis, public consultation and consideration of feedback received while the standard is in force.

National approval of the Swiss forest certification standard: 28 September 2020

Find out more about PEFC ensures national standards continue to meet expectations.