What's the difference between FSC & SFI?

SFI and FSC Certification in North America — A Summary Comparison

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc.® (SFI®) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) programs both certify lands in the United States and Canada. This document looks at both programs — their scope and governance, forest management certification, chain-of-custody-certification, and requirements for sourcing fiber from uncertified lands. Studies have shown buyers and consumers appreciate the value of forest certification to help them choose forest products from responsible sources. Currently, about 10 percent of the world’s forests are certified, and 40 percent of these certified lands are in North America.

GOVERNANCE AND SCOPE


FOREST MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION
These tables are based on requirements from the SFI 2010-2014 Standard and general information and details from the FSC International Principles and Criteria, which is the basis for the numerous FSC national and regional standards. While FSC regional standards go into more specifics, it is difficult to draw comparisons because the 13 FSC standards in North America have a wide range of variation.

The SFI program was created to certify forests in North America, and has one forest certification standard that applies across the United States and Canada. Its fiber sourcing and chain-of-custody standards apply to North America and offshore sources, given the global trade of forest products.



CHAIN-OF-CUSTODY CERTIFICATION
In addition to third-party forest certification, the SFI and FSC programs both offer chain-of-custody certification and on-product labels. Chain-of-custody certification is a tool used to track wood fiber from a certified forest. It also tracks uncertified content and helps buyers avoid unwanted sources.

The SFI program has two chain-of-custody labels, which show that some or all of the product’s fiber content comes from forests certified to the SFI, Canadian Standards Association or American Tree Farm System standards. Both SFI labels can state the percentage of recycled content in the product, when available.

The FSC program has three chain-of-custody labels — pure (100 percent certified), recycled (at least 85 percent post-consumer) and mixed (blend of pure, recycled and controlled sources).

Both SFI and FSC have requirements to avoid fiber from unwanted sources — the SFI program through its controversial sources avoidance requirements and the FSC program through its controlled wood requirements.



GLOBAL SOURCING FROM UNCERTIFIED LANDS
Given that more than 90 percent of the world’s forests are not certified, the SFI and FSC programs both have requirements to account for and deal with fiber from higher-risk uncertified lands. Through FSC controlled wood requirements, SFI fiber sourcing and SFI chain-of custody global requirements, companies are told what to avoid when procuring fiber from lands that are not certified. This reduces the risk of fiber from unwanted sources, but does not improve forest management on uncertified lands.

AVOIDING UNWANTED SOURCES FROM UNCERTIFIED LANDS OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA


SOURCING FROM UNCERTIFIED LANDS IN NORTH AMERICA
The SFI program is unique in that it also has fiber sourcing requirements that promote responsible forest management on uncertified lands in North America, as well as avoiding unwanted sources for offshore procurement. This includes fiber and forest products that come from millions of family-owned forests in the United States and Canada. The SFI program offers participants an on-product certified fiber sourcing label that tells consumers the company has been third-party certified to
meet SFI fiber sourcing requirements, many of them summarized below. These labels do not make claims about certified forests but do show that a third-party independent audit has occurred to ensure the fiber sourcing requirements, landowner outreach and logger training requirements, among others, have been met.

PROMOTING RESPONSIBLE FORESTRY ON UNCERTIFIED LANDS IN THE U.S. AND CANADA


RECOGNITION IN NORTH AMERICA AND BEYOND
Comprehensive studies by many respected organizations and agencies have concluded that certification to either the SFI or FSC program is a good choice, proving a forest is being managed sustainably and legally. There is a growing trend, especially with chain-of-custody certification, to be certified to both programs.
• In 2008, the United Kingdom’s Central Point of Expertise on Timber confirmed SFI, FSC, the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC) programs were among those that meet its government’s requirements for ‘legality’ and ‘sustainability’.15

• The U.S. General Services Administration encourages the use of certified wood for all new installations of wood products, and references FSC United States and SFI for more information.16

• Many green building tools, including the National Home Building Standard™ (ICC 700-2008) in the United States and Green Globes, recognize wood products certified to credible programs including SFI, FSC, CSA, and American Tree Farm System as a sound environmental choice.

• Public Works and Government Services Canada requires all wood products used in its building projects to be certified to SFI, FSC, or CSA, and believes all three of these systems effectively promote more sustainable management of Canada’s forest resources.17

• In 2008, the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers said the SFI, FSC and the CSA programs “demonstrate, and promote the sustainability of forest management practices in Canada.”18

SOURCE, CITATIONS and FOR MORE INFORMATION: Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) • Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) International
15 CPET Assessment of Forest Certification Schemes www.proforest.net/cpet/documents
16 Solicitation for Offers requirement SFO Section 7.4 Wood Products (revised August, 2008) http://contacts.gsa.gov/webforms.nsf/0/16A3F7C2E0044E4485256F4D00628BE3/$file/SFO_8-29-08.pdf
17 Public Works and Government Services Canada Questions and Answers http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/biens-property/questions-eng.html
18 Canadian Council of Forest Ministers Statement on Forest Certification Standards in Canada www.sfmcanada.org/CMFiles/PublicationLibrary/CCFM_Statement_Forest_Certification_EN1KWA-24122008-5150.pdf
19 UN Economic Commission for Europe and UN Food and Agriculture Organization 2008-2009 UNECE/FAO Forest Products Annual Market Review http://timber.unece.org/index.php?id=208

Certified Forest Products: A Great Choice for the Environment

The Conservation Fund President and CEO Larry Selzer wrote a guest blog appearing on CNBC.com yesterday, which is pasted below for your reference. He outlines the critical role of forests in combating climate change and providing many other benefits. He also explains the importance of credible forest certification programs such as SFI.  To view the online version, visit SFI Inc.'s Blog at Good For Forests.


Certified Forest Products: A Great Choice for the Environment
Published: Thursday, 22 Oct 2009 | 12:03 PM ET
By: Larry Selzer, President & CEO, The Conservation Fund
 
There is not much debate that the environmental issue at the forefront of our minds these days is climate change.  
 
There is also no doubt that by taking care of our forests we can address a lot of environmental challenges - including some related to climate change.
Just think for a moment what forests provide.

They are natural filters - removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing carbon as plants, leaf litter and soil.
 
They provide habitat and support biodiversity, they regulate water flows and protect water quality. They offer enjoyment and recreation. They also support local economies, and deliver a stable, and renewable, supply of the wood and paper products.
That's right. 
 
The many benefits of natural forests are often found in managed forests that supply the products we use every day. And the economic value is an added incentive for owners to manage their forests with care, and to maintain them as forest rather than selling them for profit - which often results in the forests being turned into malls or subdivisions.
At The Conservation Fund, we have long recognized this.  We know that forests offering value economically and socially are more likely to continue offering value environmentally.
  
That's why we work with many partners to help communities develop sustainable solutions that integrate economic return with environmental quality.
 
That's also why we certify our forest lands to a credible third-party certification program, and make sure we always ask for wood and paper products with on-product labels that show the fiber is from responsible, legal sources.
 
Third-party forest certification began as a response to market concerns about questionable forest activities, primarily in developing countries, and has become an important tool to promote sustainable forest management and responsible procurement around the world.
Only 10 percent of the world's forests are certified and half of these certified lands are found in North America. 
 
That's likely because we have a choice of credible programs - such as the Sustainable Forestry Initiative and the Forest Stewardship Council. These programs have been endorsed by respected organizations and governments around the world, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan and France.
 
An on-product label that says a product is certified to a program such as SFI or FSC delivers assurance you are making a choice that represents conservation of biological diversity, protection of special sites, sustainable harvests, respect for local communities, and much more.
In the United States and Canada, we are extremely fortunate. At a time when global deforestation and degradation account for 17 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, our forest land area is actually stable, if not increasing. At a time when illegal forest activities are contributing to deforestation and habitat destruction, we have laws in place to keep our forest lands healthy and resilient, making them less susceptible to wildfire, insects and disease.
 
And on top of that, we have the option of buying independently certified wood and paper products that we know come from responsible and legal sources.
_____________________
Larry Selzer is president and CEO of The Conservation Fund (www.conservationfund.org), an environmental non-profit that works with many partners to demonstrate sustainable conservation solutions by integrating economic and environmental goals.

Forest Certification Labels Matter

A Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certified vendor protects wildlife, plants, soil, water and ultimately, people.

TerraChoice Environmental Marketing recently named FSC and SFI as two of the most common, credible eco-labels. According to TerraChoice, FSC and SFI met all criteria of a credible eco-label, including third party certification, a publicly available standard and a transparent standard development process.

On product labels show proof of the product's adherence to certification standards. Promotional logos are a way for companies to advertise their commitment to protecting the future of our forests. In certified forest today, for every tree logged 3-4 are planted in it's place. Supporting, promoting and patronizing certified vendors, ensures you are are fulfilling a promise for a sustainable future today and for generations to come.