EXPERT PANEL GENERAL REQUIREMENTS SUSTAINABLE PLANTATION FOREST MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION
1. Introduction Every decision making process of the Sustainable Plantation Forest Management (SPFM) certification is performed by an Expert Panel which the members are provisionally appointed (adhoc) a Certification Institution, independent in making decisions, and from any expertise. The Expert Panel consist of Expert Panel I and II which criteria and requirements are set in this guide. This LEI Guide 99-06 is an inseparable part of LEI Guide 99.
2. Scope The purpose of LEI Guide 99-06 is to set the criteria and general requirements of Expert Panel of SPFM certification which includes membership requirements and characteristics, formation, function and duties, composition, and work results.
3. Reference a)LEI Standar 5000, Sustainable Production Forest Management (SNFPM) Frame System. b) LEI Standard 5000-2, Sustainable Plant Forest Management (SPFM) System. c) LEI Standard 5005, Terms and Definition Related to Forest Certification. d) LEI Guide 99, Sustainable Production Forest Management (SNFPM) Certification System. e) LEI Guide 99-31, Implementation Guide for Field Asessment of SPFM Certification. LEI Guide 99-06
Expert Panel General Requirements Sustainable Plant Forest Management Certification
f)
LEI Guide 99-33, SPFM Certification Screening Guide
g) LEI Guide 99-34, Decision Making Guide of SPFM Certification h) LEI Guide 99-35, SPFM Certification Recommendation Setting Guide i)
LEI Guide 99-36, Implementation Guide for Surveillance and Certificate Extension of SPFM Certification Program.
j)
LEI-03 Technical Document, Toolbox Verifier and Verification for Criteria and Indicators of Assessment in the Sustainable Plant Forest Management (SPFM) Certification System.
k) LEI-04 Technical Document, Value (Intensity Scale) of Sustainable Plant Forest Management (SPFM) Indicators.
4. Expert Panel Criteria and Requirements 4.1 Expert Panel is a non-permanent team (ad hoc) formed by certification institution consisting of individuals with expertise in certain science and/or having profound knowledge on subjects related to certification process and authorized to make decisions in the certification process. 4.2 Expert Panel is bound to certification decisions. If needed, Expert Panel must be willing to provide explaination, response and opinion regarding a certification decision. It binds until the certificate expires. 4.3 Expert Panel Classification Within the SPFM certification procedure, there are two kinds of Expert Panel: 4.3.1
Expert Panel I: Expert Panel conducting the screening process during field preassessment stage.
4.3.2
Expert Panel II: Expert Panel conducting performance evaluation and certification decision.
4.4 Experts, in this context, are individuals with profound knowledge on one or more of the following aspects: 4.4.1
Production forest management
4.4.2
Corporate management
4.4.3
Production forest silviculture
4.4.4
Ecology and forest conservation
LEI Guide 99-06
Expert Panel General Requirements Sustainable Plant Forest Management Certification
4.4.5
Soil and water conservation
4.4.6
Social, economic and culture
4.4.7
Other aspect relevant to the assessed unit management.
4.5 Expert Panel Membership Classification Based on the field of expertise, Expert Panel are organized into: 4.5.1
Production experts
4.5.2
Ecology experts
4.5.3
Social experts
4.6 Technical Expertise of Expert Panel Members 4.6.1
Expert Panel Members must possess the ability to assess information from the managemet unit.
4.6.2
Experienced in the field of at least five years and have conducted similar activity.
4.6.3
Understands SPFM certification assessment system.
4.7 Expert Panel Member Characteristics Expert Panel members must forefront independence and integrity of the assessment of a management unit. Therefore, each member is required to have the following characteristics: 4.7.1
Having considerable interest and attention to sustainable forest management problems.
4.7.2
Having interdisciplinary framework and able to cooperate with other experts.
4.7.3
Having high-level integrity that elevates assessement objectivity.
4.7.4
Free of conflicts of interest towards Field Assessors, management unit, and/or other related stakeholders.
LEI Guide 99-06
Expert Panel General Requirements Sustainable Plant Forest Management Certification
5. Expert Panel Membership Selection 5.1 To acquire competent Expert Panel according to the established requirements, the selection process is conducted through input obtained from various elements, complete with résumé and recommendations from related elements and/or through Certification Institution invitation to anyone who meets the requirements as an Expert Panel member. 5.2 Certification Institution can verify the qualifications of the participants of Expert Panel membership selection with the participant’s consent. 5.3 Certification Institution must pay attention to inputs from Regional Communication Forum. 5.4 The pengangkatan of Expert Panel is performed by the Certification Institution.
6. Expert Panel I 6.1 Function of Expert Panel I 6.1.1
Decide on whether an assessed management unit is worth entering the next certification process stage.
6.1.2
Determine field assessment work plan together with Field Assessors.
6.1.3
Become members of Expert Panel II on the performance evaluation and certification decision making.
6.2 Number and composition of expertise of Expert Panel I members Expert Panel I members are at least represented by three individuals consisting of experts in production, ecology and social subjects. 6.3 Tasks of Expert Panel I 6.3.1
Assess each information relating to management unit based of the Screening Guide of the SPFM Certification.
6.3.2
Can ask to complete required information to the management unit through Certification Institution if the information is insufficient.
6.3.3
Clarify information with the management unit.
6.3.4
Perform field visits for scoping, unless affirmed, in writing, unnecessary.
6.3.5
Discuss field assessment work plan with the team of Field Assessors.
LEI Guide 99-06
Expert Panel General Requirements Sustainable Plant Forest Management Certification
6.4 Results of Expert Panel I 6.4.1
Expert Panel I Work Report that includes decision on whether to continue or hold the certification process to the next step.
6.4.2
Make recommendations to Field Assesors in sharpening field assessment framework, if a management unit is permitted to continue to the next stage of the certification process.
6.4.3
Make recommendations to management units that can not continue to the next stage of the certification process.
7. Expert Panel II 7.1 Function of Expert Panel II 7.1.1
Evaluate the performance of management unit based on the field assessment result, input from the community and screening process of Expert Panel I.
7.1.2
Formulate the result of SPFM certification implementation to the assessed management unit in a categorical rating certificate.
7.1.3
Determine whether to pass a management unit or not.
7.1.4
Provide recommendations of elements that can be improved by the management unit in a SPFM certification program and for surveillance necessities.
7.2 Number and composition of Expert Panel II members 7.2.1
Expert Panel II members are at least represented by six individuals consisting of two of each experts in production, ecology and social subjects.
7.2.2
In Expert Panel II formation, the Certification Institution must consider the balance of the number of experts from the region of where the assessed management unit is located.
7.3 Tasks of Expert Panel II 7.3.1
Study the information of the management unit obtained from the field assessment, input from the community and the screening result of Expert Panel I.
7.3.2
Accepts presentation result of field assessmet and clarifies information obtained from the above mentioned sources together with Field Assessors and management unit.
LEI Guide 99-06
Expert Panel General Requirements Sustainable Plant Forest Management Certification
7.3.3
Discuss to determine criteria priority scale, SPFM subcriteria, including management process and subprocess, if necessary, in a form of agreement value, compromising results, or average value of all members of the Expert Panel.
7.3.4
Assess every indicators to determine the intensity.
7.3.5
Determine weighted intensity scale of each indicator.
7.3.6
Determine the minimum standard of passable score for SPFM certification.
7.3.7
Calculate total indicator value obtained by the management unit.
7.3.8
Decide SPFM certification passable result based on the total score of indicators and the minimum standard.
7.3.9
Determine certification rating, formulate recommendation for management unit and determine the time estimation and indicators for surveillance.
7.4 Expert panel II Work Result 7.4.1
Expert Panel II work report, consisting of SPFM certification decisions and rating of performance of the management unit.
7.4.2
Recommendations of SPFM certification.
LEI Guide 99-06
Expert Panel General Requirements Sustainable Plant Forest Management Certification