Sustainable Forestry Initiative's Eco-label Criticized

by Glenn Hasek February 10, 2011 06:28

When it comes to responsible forest management and products made from timber, two organizations are often looked to for guidance: the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). I cannot say I have done an investigation of either organization myself but I did want to make you aware of a recent article that brings into question the credibility of SFI. The report by ForestEthics, entitled "SFI: Certified Greenwash," criticizes the organization harshly. Here is what the introduction of the report states: "This report uncovers the origin, funding sources, staffing and leadership of SFI.

The introduction adds, "It exposes SFI's ties to paper and timber industry interests and refutes SFI's assertion of independence. It finds that SFI's own audits of the companies it certifies are at best perfunctory, and that its standards fail to require true environmental responsibility."

ForestEthics questions SFI's independence as a nonprofit, saying almost all its funding comes from the paper and timber industry. SFI's board is also criticized for including a "who's who" of the largest names in the paper and timber industry. SFI's certification process for its eco-label is said in the article to be "dangerously relaxed." In one case, the article says, two SFI-accredited auditors spent just five days single-handedly assessing more than 46,875 square miles of public forest--an area larger than the entire state of Pennsylvania. SFI's chain of custody system is also questioned and said to be "weak." 

In essence, what ForestEthics questions is how an organization backed so strongly by corporate interests can fairly monitor forest in which it has such a strong financial stake. The last part of the article, in which specific environmental violations by SFI supporters are cited--clear-cutting is mentioned--is particularly disturbing.

Be sure to read the article. Hopefully you will not be so quick to trust an eco-label again. Your thoughts? 

  

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2/15/2011 10:25:52 AM #

Yeah, I have some thoughts. Don’t be so quick to trust the FSC ecolabel . . . or the stuff being peddled by groups like Forestethics. If you check out http://www.fsc-watch.org/ you’ll find two recent graphic documentaries of Forest Stewardship Council's destructive forest practices. One is posted on You Tube so it's very accessible to your readers.

And while you're at the FSC-Watch web site, check out some other gems about FSC's 'stellar' track record. There's a lots there for people to see, and it goes back several years.




DWA Rose

2/24/2011 6:44:48 AM #

Glenn, thanks for the invitation to comment on your blog.  I wish you had taken the time to look at the facts and speak with me before your ran your story.  The information in your story is not just false; it’s very misleading.  

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative is a fully independent non-profit organization, and our rigorous standard is grounded in science, research, community involvement and regional expertise that integrates the continuous growing of trees with the protection of wildlife, plants, soil and water quality.  The program has a volunteer three-chamber board of directors representing environmental, social and economic interests equally.  Forestry experts like the National Association of State Foresters, conservation groups, and government officials from the United States and Canada support the SFI standard as a credible forestry certification standard in North America.  With just 10% of the world’s forests certified to any certification standard, these organizations should focus on increasing certified forestlands, not wasting energy on campaigns that undermine efforts and programs that work to promote responsible forestry across North America and the world.  Set the record straight and read the truth about SFI www.sfiprogram.org/settingtherecordstraight/

The fact is Glenn,  there are a plethora of standards around the world;  all are different but our goals are quite similar to promote and support responsible forest management from the forest to our communities to the store shelves.  I hope the next time you do a story on forest certification you are able to find the time to delve a bit deeper and get the other side of the story.  

karen brandt

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About Me

Glenn Hasek is the publisher and editor of Green Lodging News. He has more than 18 years of experience writing about the lodging industry. He can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com or by phone at (440) 243-2055.