In the Struggle to Make Forests Sustainable, how Effective are Verification Systems?

In addition to offering consumers the guarantee that their purchase has fewer negative consequences for the planet than competing products, eco-labels provide real impact for the local people. A study conducted by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) on the Congo Basin reveals that living and working conditions and distribution of wealth are better in FSC-certified forest areas than in areas that are non-certified but do benefit from a management plan. As CIFOR observes, “Certification in the Congo Basin has been able to incite companies to make significant social progress.”

The forestry and wood sector, made up of forest owners and the lumber industry, developed its own certification system in 1999: the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes, known as PEFC. Its purpose is likewise to ensure that forestry operations are economically, socially, and environmentally sound.