Newsletter July 2017 • Issue 45
Annual Stakeholder Day THIS year’s Annual Stakeholder Day took place in London on the 4th July. Its theme - Why Forests Matter – was illustrated by a range of speakers showing the importance of forests for rural development, carbon sequestration and biodiversity. The event attracted a diverse audience including retailers, brand owners, contractors, foresters and PEFC-certified companies. The event, which has now become the highlight of the PEFC UK year, was chaired by PEFC International Chairman, Peter Latham. It featured speakers from Asia, North America, Spain and the UK. Dr Melvin Gumal of the Wildlife Conservation Society,
Left to right: Mark Johnston, Melvin Gumal,
Malaysia kicked off proceedings with a presentation on the WCS
Ana Renfigo Abad, Peter Latham, Andrew Heald
programme in Endau-Rompin which explained conservation efforts to protect iconic species such as the Sumatran tiger and the importance of forest areas to provide habitat for both the tigers and their prey.
Dehesas del Guijo farm belongs, with some 22,000 hectares of forestland currently certified. Ana advised that certification has led to continuous
Melvin was followed by Dr Mark Johnston, from Canada, of the
improvement of her farmland and had enabled her to place certified
Saskatchewan Research Council. Mark explained the key role that forests
products such as cork and Iberico ham onto the market.
play in capturing carbon across North American woodlands, and revealed the assessment his company is currently undertaking to assess the
Concluding proceedings for the day, Confor’s Andrew Heald
carbon stocks and storage in wetland developments and SFI (Sustainable
explained how sustainablity works from a UK forestry perspective,
Forestry Initiative) certified landscapes in Canada. A presentation from
and highlighted the need for continued planting and protection of
Ana Rengifo Abbad from Spain, showcased the work that is being
forestlands for future generations. Presentations from the event can be
undertaken by the forestry certification group to which her family-owned
downloaded from the PEFC website: http://bit.ly/2tYtG8f
PEFC International Stakeholder Dialogue THIS year, PEFC’s international Stakeholder
providers and innovators, the 2017 event will
day field trip
Dialogue will be held in Helsinki. It will explore
provide a unique opportunity to exchange
to facilitate
the benefits and potential for incorporating
views on what’s required, what’s working and
optimal
technology solutions into forest certification.
where there are opportunities for scaling up
exchange, demonstration and in-depth
By bringing together diverse forest sector
application. The two-day event will combine
discussion on the topic. To find out more about
representatives with cutting-edge technology
one day in a conference setting with a one
this event visit treee.es/RegPEFCSD2017
Click on the link: www.pefc.co.uk info@.pefc.co.uk PEFCUK @PEFC_UK pefcinternational
PEFC UK 2017 Annual General Meeting management schemes in Indonesia, Malaysia, China and Japan have been endorsed while an Indian scheme is currently in development. PEFC’s progress in Asia demonstrates that there is a now a real appetite for the bottom up, mutual recognition certification model that PEFC offers around the globe. There are now 46 national members of PEFC Council with 39 endorsed national certification systems gathered together under the PEFC umbrella.
PEFC UK
ANNUAL REPORT
As a result, more than 300 million hectares of forest are now managed in compliance with PEFC’s internationally accepted Sustainability Benchmarks – that’s roughly the size of Egypt, South Africa and Turkey combined. As the certified forest area grows, so to
Ross Bradshaw
does the number of companies seeking to become Chain of Custody certified. Almost 19,000 certified companies are
EARLIER this month, PEFC UK held its 16th Annual General
currently trading in PEFC-certified forest
Meeting in London. Chairman Ross Bradshaw reported
products around the world.
on progress both at home and abroad. He noted that the year had seen encouraging progress in Asia with an increasing number of
Further information can be found in our 2017 Annual Report. It can be
countries developing forest management schemes with the aim of
downloaded from the website at: http://bit.ly/2tOopgD or printed
eventually being accepted by PEFC. National forest sustainable forest
copies can be requested by e-mailing info@pefc.co.uk
Winner of PEFC Photo Contest WE were delighted with the number and quality of entries to our recent photographic competition on the theme of Experience Forests, Experience PEFC. The contest was designed to raise awareness of the importance of our forests. The competition which ran from Earth Day on 22 April and closed on World Environment Day on 5th June, attracted more than 300 entries. We are pleased to announce that the winning photograph was snapped by Andrew Clayborough from Otley, West Yorkshire. His picture has now gone forward to the international competition to select a worldwide winner.
Click on the link: www.pefc.co.uk info@.pefc.co.uk PEFCUK @PEFC_UK pefcinternational
Annual Field Trip
London Build 2017
IN OCTOBER, we will be exhibiting in the Sustainability Zone at London Build 2017. PEFC IN MAY, we returned to Hexham,
participants had a choice of site visits – Egger’s
UK’s Executive Director Alun Watkins will also
Northumberland for our annual field trip.
Hexham manufacturing plant for those from
be speaking at a sustainability workshop.
The event aimed to demonstrate sustainable
the timber and construction industries while
forest management in action to more than
those working in the paper, packaging and
Now in its third year, London Build is the
twenty stakeholders from a broad range of
retail sectors were guests of SCA Hygiene at
UK’s largest construction expo dedicated
sectors including timber trading, construction,
Prudhoe.
entirely to opportunities in London and the
retail, paper and packaging. It has now become a regular highlight of the PEFC UK year.
South of England. We are participating in The annual field trip is designed to showcase
this show to promote PEFC-certified timber
sustainable forest management, illustrate
amongst contractors, developers, architects
The group visited a certified forest site
in a practical way what Chain of Custody
and their clients.
managed by Egger – Winnows Hill - to
certification involves and demonstrate the
learn more about what sustainable forest
rigorous processes involved in bringing
If you are planning to visit the show, please
management entails. On the second day,
certified forest products to market.
stop by and see us in the Sustainability Zone.
Sustainable Packaging Brand owners’ choice of folding cartons as the “most sustainable” packaging format was based on the product’s ability to meet a combination of key environmental considerations, including that they can be made from renewable forestry and PEFC/FSC certified resources. In other key findings, 96% of respondents considered sustainable packaging to be important to their business and 62% expect a growing need for sustainability in IN A recent Pro Carton report – The Importance of Sustainability in
packaging. Respondents considered that this growth in demand for
Packaging – folding cartons were viewed as the most sustainable
sustainable packaging was being driven by rising consumer awareness
packaging format. The study, which aimed to investigate attitudes
and government and local authority procurement policies.
of major European brand owners and retailers on sustainability in packaging, was conducted by Smithers Pira in Germany, UK, France,
The complete study can be found on the Pro Carton website:
Italy and Spain.
www.procarton.com/publications-news/publications/
Click on the link: www.pefc.co.uk info@.pefc.co.uk PEFCUK @PEFC_UK pefcinternational
Soil Association Training Excellence for Forest Certification Responsible Forest Management and Sustainable Forest Product Supply Chains supported by Forest Certification • • •
11 day policy and practice course Next day course running from 23rd October to 3rd November 2017 Bursaries available to support attendance
For more info, please visit: https://www.soilassociation.org/forestry/training
SOIL Association Forestry has recently
management and sustainable forest product
Generously funded by the Richard Shuttleworth
announced a new training course - its
supply chains. It is an 11-day course which
Remembrance Trust, there are bursaries
Excellence for Forest Certification
covers a range of topics, encompassing both
available to support participation, which will be
programme. Developed in conjunction with
policy and the development of practical skills.
assessed on application. More information, can be found at http://bit.ly/2tL1IM0
the ASTRAcademy, the course is designed to enable delegates to improve their knowledge
The course is open to policy makers, NGOs,
or contact the Course Director, Clive Thomas at
and understanding of responsible forest
forest managers and supply chain professionals.
forestrytraining@soilassociation.org.
Autumn 2017 Stakeholder Seminars
Meet PEFC UK PEFC UK Stakeholder Seminar
PEFC UK Stakeholder Seminar
11th October 2017
17th October 2017
KEY personnel from certified companies such as Chain of Custody
London
Peterborough
administrators, marketing and sales are invited to take part in one of
http://bit.ly/2tKd4Q9
http://bit.ly/2tKd4Q9
London on Wednesday 11th October and the second in Peterborough on
London Build
PEFC International
Tuesday 17th October.
25-26 October 2017
Stakeholder Dialogue
two workshops we will be hosting in October. The first will be held in
Olympia Exhibition Centre,
16-17 November 2017
These half day seminars will cover a range of topics including Sustainable
London
Finland
Forest Management, Chain of Custody certification, the use of the PEFC
http://bit.ly/1xknmCZ
http://bit.ly/2tYtG8f
label and the market drivers for certified forest products. They are free to attend but places are strictly limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis so early registration is recommended. Further details can be found at: http://bit.ly/2tKd4Q9.
ALUN WATKINS PEFC UK Executive Director awatkins@pefc.co.uk / 0114 307 2334
HILARY KHAWAM PEFC UK Communications & Marketing Director hilary.khawam@pefc.co.uk / 01689 819902
Please call Alun for all general enquiries and queries about Chain of Custody and use of the PEFC logo.
Click on the link: www.pefc.co.uk info@.pefc.co.uk PEFCUK @PEFC_UK pefcinternational