APP welcomes IFCC endorsement by PEFC

The process for setting the IFCC certification standard started in 2012. Drafted in partnership with members of the standardization committee, it was approved by the IFCC board of directors in 2013 and submitted to the PEFC Council for endorsement this year. The certification is valid until October 1, 2019, when it will be subject to renewal.

A special event was held on December 11 in Jakarta to mark Indonesia becoming the latest country to receive PEFC endorsement of its national forest certification system.

Endorsement from PEFC, the world’s largest sustainable forestry certification system, began in October and follows recognition by the European Union and Australia of Indonesia’s Timber Legality Assurance System (SVLK).

IFCC chairman Dradjad H Wibowo said: ‘While some people may perceive a conflict between sustainable forestry and economic development in Indonesia, endorsement of the IFCC by PEFC shows that both are possible.

‘With many companies and consumers in the world acknowledging the PEFC certificate as a guarantee of quality products including wood, pulp, paper and its derivative products that come from sustainably managed forest, the endorsement therefore opens new opportunities for exports from Indonesia which, in turn, can create job opportunities and economic development.’

PEFC's endorsement of IFCC's work was first detailed in October. Then, as now, Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) welcomed the development, and said it will allow Indonesian forest products to ‘reach a broader global marketplace’.

Aida Greenbury, managing director of sustainability at APP, said: ‘Sustainability in the pulp and paper sector is something that the industry must work towards if our products are to reach a broader global marketplace. Certification is an important part of this as it acts as a benchmark that is recognized and trusted by international customers.’

Endorsement of the IFCC standard is another mark of the expanded reach of PEFC within the region, with Japan becoming the latest Asian country to join PEFC as a national member and a number of other countries exploring options to achieve similar recognition. This includes India, New Zealand, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand, who are advancing their national systems for consideration by PEFC.

PEFC secretary-general Ben Gunneberg said: ‘This endorsement signifies a turning point for Indonesia, a country still struggling to combat high deforestation rates. Forest certification represents an important mechanism to verify and promote sustainable forest management, thus safeguarding the environmental, social, and economic benefits that forests provide.

‘This is especially important in a country like Indonesia, given the significance of its forest resources both in terms of protecting biodiversity and its contribution to supporting local livelihoods. PEFC-endorsed forest certifications enable people to choose good wood, wood that comes from forests that have been independently verified as sustainably managed. We encourage companies and consumers alike to opt for PEFC-certified products to support forest owners in Indonesia who manage their forests sustainably.’

Greenbury added: ‘As an industry leader, we aim to exceed certification standards to ensure the industry more quickly towards sustainable practices. That is why we are committed to Zero Deforestation and why we continue to work with multiple stakeholders in the forest landscapes.’