PEFC (Program for Endorsement of Forest Certification) provides an international forest management system which is independently verified. Companies using this accreditation to demonstrate responsible sourcing policies and comply with rules including US Lacey Act and UK Timber regulations.
Wood certified by PEFC must abide by strict environmental, social, and economic standards; including replanting, logging, and traceability requirements.
1. Environmentally Friendly
Forests offer numerous advantages to society and the environment, including water regulation, carbon storage, soil stabilisation and wildlife habitat. As such, global society recognizes their crucial function and believes they must be managed sustainably for future generations.
Sustainable forestry practices support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Good Health and Wellbeing (SDG 3), Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12) and Industry Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 13). By selecting wood certified by PEFC, specifiers can demonstrate their dedication to meeting these objectives.
Construction industry products made of timber or engineered wood typically come from PEFC certified suppliers, with many manufacturers having earned this accreditation to guarantee that processes and materials meet stringent sustainability benchmarks and traceability requirements. This helps ensure that products come from legally managed forests while fulfilling environmental, social, and economic obligations of stakeholders involved.
PEFC recognises the significance of maintaining and protecting biodiversity within their certified forests in addition to meeting stringent sustainability criteria, by protecting key biotopes such as special key biotopes. They must also balance harvest levels while degraded ecosystems are restored back into balance; no chemicals such as pesticides should be used during forest activities and any invasive species must be managed accordingly.
Illegal logging poses a significant threat to sustainable forest management goals and jeopardizes social equity, environmental conservation and economic development in many countries around the globe. Illegal logging impacts all parts of the forest supply chain from producers and processors to end users and retailers – providing confidence for customers that their products come from legal sources. Forest certification helps combat illegal logging by assuring customers their products come from legal sources.
Process of becoming PEFC certified may involve significant financial investment; however, its rewards far outweigh its initial costs for businesses who make this commitment to sustainable forestry. Achieving PEFC-certification positions businesses as leaders in sustainable forestry practices while opening new markets and drawing in eco-conscious customers.
2. Economical
Wood is one of the primary materials used in construction, and it’s essential that it comes from sustainably managed forests. Organizations such as FSC and PEFC help ensure forests are managed in ways which promote responsible timber harvesting – essential in preventing deforestation caused by harvesting operations.
Forest certification helps ensure timber harvesting practices are responsible, taking only what is needed from each area and leaving the rest in its natural state. This not only protects ecosystems and animal life but can also mitigate climate change as the trees help absorb carbon emissions produced from other energy sources such as fossil fuels.
Forest certification benefits both businesses that produce and sell wood as well as forests themselves by showing that it meets international standards for environmentally responsible forest management, while giving businesses a competitive edge over those who don’t use certified wood by showing they are fulfilling their environmental responsibilities and have made commitments towards sustainability. PEFC logo certification proves this.
PEFC certification provides an independent third-party verification of responsible forest management. Its criteria are based on internationally accepted conventions and guidelines that take into account environmental, social, and economic requirements for certification. Furthermore, its label provides global recognition of forest-based products from their source through to end use.
The PEFC alliance consists of 38 private national organisations located worldwide that collaborate to develop and implement its rules in accordance with local biodiversity, ecological, socio-economic conditions. This ensures special key biotopes are protected, forest productivity levels balanced, degraded forest ecosystems restored, as well as any chemicals like pesticides or herbicides being avoided or minimized as per PEFC requirements.
3. Socially Responsible
Forest-based products bearing the PEFC label demonstrate an ongoing commitment to sustainable forestry practices, benefitting society as a whole. They are manufactured through forest management that meets environmental, economic, and social criteria set by PEFC certification schemes.
The PEFC label is internationally-recognized, opening global markets to businesses committed to responsible sourcing. Furthermore, having their logo displayed on products or structures increases brand identity while drawing eco-conscious customers and positioning them as leaders in sustainability.
With consumers becoming more environmentally-minded when making purchasing decisions, many buyers require suppliers to meet environmental, ethical and sustainable standards when producing forest-based products. Through PEFC chain of custody certification, companies in this supply chain can demonstrate they fulfill these criteria by documenting due diligence practices and tracking all materials from source to final sale.
PEFC certification ensures that timber sourced legally comes from forests managed according to stringent sustainability benchmarks set out by PEFC, while also helping governments fight illegal timber importation into their national markets.
Acquiring PEFC chain of custody certification may seem like a significant investment for any business, but its long-term benefits far outweigh any initial financial costs. This is especially true in today’s increasingly eco-conscious marketplace where customers value products that help the environment.
PEFC certification helps your building company stand out from the competition, drawing eco-conscious customers while differentiating itself from non-certified competitors. Furthermore, compliance with laws mandating legality of timber (such as EU Timber Regulation and U.S. Lacey Act ) facilitates access to key international markets.
The PEFC label is internationally-recognized, making it an excellent choice for architects and engineers searching for timber cladding that adheres to green building design standards and regulations. Furthermore, PEFC supports government initiatives for responsible forestry as well as contributing to meeting United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as combatting climate change, decreasing deforestation rates and encouraging equitable land use practices.
4. Accessible
PEFC stands in stark contrast to FSC, which only certifies large areas of forest through its tree tick logo. PEFC certification system can be accessed by all forest owners from large to small, including those living in developing nations. It is accessible and meets strict environmental, social, and economic sustainability criteria – around one million small forest landowners have received group certification from PEFC since inception and this number continues to increase steadily.
Due to increasing environmental awareness and growing consumer demand for sustainable products, PEFC certified timber has become more readily available worldwide. Engineered wood products like CLT and glulam with PEFC certification provide construction projects with peace of mind knowing their source comes from responsibly managed forests that meet stringent international requirements; furthermore, PEFC project chains of custody enable construction professionals to meet green building standards such as LEED, BREEAM and CASBEE responsible sourcing requirements more easily.
Brand owners and retailers, among others, who display the PEFC label are sending a strong signal that their products come from responsibly managed forests while showing customers that their business is committed to sustainable development. PEFC chain of custody certification also helps companies meet rigorous legal and market requirements such as EUTR, Lacey Act or Australian Illegal Logging Prohibition Regulation requirements.
Consumers can quickly recognize PEFC-certified timber and wood-based products by their green/yellow/blue labels, which serve as a trusted way for them to know they’re purchasing wood from sustainably managed forests. PEFC labels can be found on various pieces of wooden furniture like bed frames, coffee tables and wardrobes as well as outdoor furnishings like sun loungers or garden furniture.
Purchase of PEFC-certified timber can offer numerous advantages to businesses and their customers alike. Not only does it help mitigate deforestation, but the label serves as an effective marketing tool that builds customer trust and loyalty.