Achieving sustainable timber supply chains: what is the role of certification in sourcing from tropical countries? | Global Canopy Programme F500 timber web
BRIEFING NOTE \ NOVEMBER 2017
Achieving sustainable timber supply
chains: What is the role of certification
in sourcing from tropical forest
countries?
Commercial agriculture and the increased trade in agricultural
commodities, including timber and pulp and paper, have led to the
large-scale clearing of tropical forests1. Private companies have
become increasingly involved in efforts to tackle deforestation, with
many committing to source sustainable forest products. Within these
commitments, forest certification schemes are a key tool for companies
to meet their sourcing goals.
Using data from the Forest 500, this briefing examines the prevalence
of certification in company sustainability commitments and assesses
the ability of certification-based commitments to protect remaining
tropical forests. The briefing also explores options in addition to
certification and provides recommendations on how company policies
and certification schemes can be improved to ensure the long-term
protection of tropical forests.
Key points
•
80% of Forest 500 companies with timber and/or pulp and paper sustainability policies
commit to use FSC and/or PEFC certified materials to meet their sourcing commitments.
•
The majority of these companies are headquartered in Europe and North America.
•
A large portion of forest products from tropical countries are consumed domestically, yet
policies by companies headquartered in these regions lag behind those headquartered in
Europe and North America.
•
Forest certification schemes lack strong traceability requirements.
•
Three quarters of certification-based company sustainability policies also lack strong
traceability requirements, meaning that many companies cannot guarantee the origin of
the products they source.
•
Although certification can help companies achieve sustainability goals, sourcing policies
should go beyond the requirements of certification schemes in order to further protect
tropical forests. This includes committing to zero net deforestation and implementing
stronger traceability systems particularly in high risk regions.
1
Schmitz, C., Kreidenweis, U., Lotze-Campen, H., Popp, A., Krause, M., Dietrich, J. P., & Müller, C. (2015). Agricultural trade and tropical deforestation:
interactions and related policy options. Regional environmental change, 15(8), 1757-1772.
1. Global timber production and trade
In 2016, more than five billion cubic metres of timber and 800 million
tonnes of pulp and paper were produced globally2. That amount of
timber alone is enough to fill Wembley Stadium in London, England
more than 1,250 times. Almost half of global timber production came
from seven countries: China, USA, India, Brazil, Russia, Canada, and
Indonesia3.
Tropical forest countries produced less than a third of the global supply
of timber, and pulp and paper4. And yet most global forest loss occurs
in these regions, with approximately seven million hectares of forest
lost annually between 2000 and 20105. This forest loss is driven mainly
by agricultural expansion and illegal logging6.
In 2013, an estimated one-third of timber produced in nine tropical
timber producing countries was harvested illegally 7, driving
deforestation, and often opening up forest areas for agricultural
expansion.
1.1 Forest certification
Forest certification schemes provide a quality assurance mechanism
that products meet certain sustainability standards by conforming
to sustainable forest management (SFM) practices8. There are
presently more than 50 forest management certification schemes 9,
with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the
Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) the two largest and most
internationally recognised. Both are multi-stakeholder initiatives
which exclude production in priority forest landscapes 10, and involve
civil society in decision-making.
Comparing FSC and PEFC systems
•
•
•
•
•
•
2
Although FSC was originally designed for the tropics and PEFC for temperate forests, both standards
now cover both environments.
FSC certified forests are found in 82 countries, and PEFC in 34 countries.
Both standards offer Chain of Custody (CoC) certification, providing a quality assurance that certified
timber is separated from non-certified sources.
Both standards have similar goals and offer similar assurances of SFM. The main difference is their
approach to certification.
The FSC sets their own standard, using a ‘top down’ approach. Forest owners must meet FSC
Principles and Criteria to achieve certification.
The PEFC uses a ‘bottom up’ approach by endorsing existing national forest management schemes
against minimum requirements.
FAO. (2017). FAOSTAT statistics database. Rome: FAO. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/.
Ibid.
4
Ibid.
5
FAO. (2016). State of the World’s Forests 2016. Forests and agriculture: land-use challenges and opportunities. Rome: FAO.
6
Hoare, A. (2015). Tackling Illegal Logging and the Related Trade. What Progress and Where Next? London: Chatham House.
7
Hoare, A. (2015). Countries deined as Brazil, Cameroon, DRC, Ghana, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and the Republic of the Congo.
8
Marx, A., & Cuypers, D. (2010). Forest certiication as a global environmental governance tool: What is the macro-effectiveness of the Forest Stewardship
Council?. Regulation & Governance, 4(4), 408-434.
9
FAO. (2017). Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Toolbox. Forest Certiication. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/sustainable-forest-management/
toolbox/modules/forest-certiication/in-more-depth/en/
10
Deined as intact forest landscapes, high conservation value areas, primary and/or natural forest.
3
As of 2016, approximately 10% of global forests across 82 countries
were certified under FSC or PEFC (Figure 1) 11. Close to 84% of certified
forests are located in Europe and North America (not including
Mexico)12, mostly consisting of temperate and boreal forests.
> 10
7 - 10
4-7
1-4
Achieving sustainable timber supply
chains: What is the role of certification
in sourcing from tropical forest
countries?
Commercial agriculture and the increased trade in agricultural
commodities, including timber and pulp and paper, have led to the
large-scale clearing of tropical forests1. Private companies have
become increasingly involved in efforts to tackle deforestation, with
many committing to source sustainable forest products. Within these
commitments, forest certification schemes are a key tool for companies
to meet their sourcing goals.
Using data from the Forest 500, this briefing examines the prevalence
of certification in company sustainability commitments and assesses
the ability of certification-based commitments to protect remaining
tropical forests. The briefing also explores options in addition to
certification and provides recommendations on how company policies
and certification schemes can be improved to ensure the long-term
protection of tropical forests.
Key points
•
80% of Forest 500 companies with timber and/or pulp and paper sustainability policies
commit to use FSC and/or PEFC certified materials to meet their sourcing commitments.
•
The majority of these companies are headquartered in Europe and North America.
•
A large portion of forest products from tropical countries are consumed domestically, yet
policies by companies headquartered in these regions lag behind those headquartered in
Europe and North America.
•
Forest certification schemes lack strong traceability requirements.
•
Three quarters of certification-based company sustainability policies also lack strong
traceability requirements, meaning that many companies cannot guarantee the origin of
the products they source.
•
Although certification can help companies achieve sustainability goals, sourcing policies
should go beyond the requirements of certification schemes in order to further protect
tropical forests. This includes committing to zero net deforestation and implementing
stronger traceability systems particularly in high risk regions.
1
Schmitz, C., Kreidenweis, U., Lotze-Campen, H., Popp, A., Krause, M., Dietrich, J. P., & Müller, C. (2015). Agricultural trade and tropical deforestation:
interactions and related policy options. Regional environmental change, 15(8), 1757-1772.
1. Global timber production and trade
In 2016, more than five billion cubic metres of timber and 800 million
tonnes of pulp and paper were produced globally2. That amount of
timber alone is enough to fill Wembley Stadium in London, England
more than 1,250 times. Almost half of global timber production came
from seven countries: China, USA, India, Brazil, Russia, Canada, and
Indonesia3.
Tropical forest countries produced less than a third of the global supply
of timber, and pulp and paper4. And yet most global forest loss occurs
in these regions, with approximately seven million hectares of forest
lost annually between 2000 and 20105. This forest loss is driven mainly
by agricultural expansion and illegal logging6.
In 2013, an estimated one-third of timber produced in nine tropical
timber producing countries was harvested illegally 7, driving
deforestation, and often opening up forest areas for agricultural
expansion.
1.1 Forest certification
Forest certification schemes provide a quality assurance mechanism
that products meet certain sustainability standards by conforming
to sustainable forest management (SFM) practices8. There are
presently more than 50 forest management certification schemes 9,
with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the
Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) the two largest and most
internationally recognised. Both are multi-stakeholder initiatives
which exclude production in priority forest landscapes 10, and involve
civil society in decision-making.
Comparing FSC and PEFC systems
•
•
•
•
•
•
2
Although FSC was originally designed for the tropics and PEFC for temperate forests, both standards
now cover both environments.
FSC certified forests are found in 82 countries, and PEFC in 34 countries.
Both standards offer Chain of Custody (CoC) certification, providing a quality assurance that certified
timber is separated from non-certified sources.
Both standards have similar goals and offer similar assurances of SFM. The main difference is their
approach to certification.
The FSC sets their own standard, using a ‘top down’ approach. Forest owners must meet FSC
Principles and Criteria to achieve certification.
The PEFC uses a ‘bottom up’ approach by endorsing existing national forest management schemes
against minimum requirements.
FAO. (2017). FAOSTAT statistics database. Rome: FAO. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/.
Ibid.
4
Ibid.
5
FAO. (2016). State of the World’s Forests 2016. Forests and agriculture: land-use challenges and opportunities. Rome: FAO.
6
Hoare, A. (2015). Tackling Illegal Logging and the Related Trade. What Progress and Where Next? London: Chatham House.
7
Hoare, A. (2015). Countries deined as Brazil, Cameroon, DRC, Ghana, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and the Republic of the Congo.
8
Marx, A., & Cuypers, D. (2010). Forest certiication as a global environmental governance tool: What is the macro-effectiveness of the Forest Stewardship
Council?. Regulation & Governance, 4(4), 408-434.
9
FAO. (2017). Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Toolbox. Forest Certiication. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/sustainable-forest-management/
toolbox/modules/forest-certiication/in-more-depth/en/
10
Deined as intact forest landscapes, high conservation value areas, primary and/or natural forest.
3
As of 2016, approximately 10% of global forests across 82 countries
were certified under FSC or PEFC (Figure 1) 11. Close to 84% of certified
forests are located in Europe and North America (not including
Mexico)12, mostly consisting of temperate and boreal forests.
> 10
7 - 10
4-7
1-4