SFI 2015-2019 Standards: Addressing Illegal Logging and Controversial Sources

Nadine Block, VP and COO

January 27, 2015

• Revised and updated every five years to incorporate the latest scientific information and to respond to emerging issues.

• Two 60-day public comment periods. • 12 public workshops across the United States and Canada.

• Participants included public and private landowners, forest sector

representatives, indigenous communities, conservation groups, industry, academia and government officials.

• Independent oversight was provided by the SFI External Review Panel

who reviewed every public comment submitted to guarantee the Standard revision process was transparent, objective and credible.

STANDARD REVISION PROCESS

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ONE FUTURE – THREE STANDARDS

At every point in the supply chain, SFI has a relevant standard to support responsible forestry: SFI 2015-2019 Forest Management Standard SFI 2015-2019 Fiber Sourcing Standard SFI 2015-2019 Chain-of-Custody Standard

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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NEW SFI 2015-2019 STANDARDS

REDUCING RISK TO FUTURE FORESTS

Forest Conversion—prohibits conversion of forest cover type to another forest cover type except in justified circumstances, such as dealing with disease. Illegal Logging and Controversial Sources—All non-certified forest content must either be from certified sourcing, recycled content or from non-controversial sources.

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SFI 2015-2019 Forest Management Standard protects:

• water quality • biodiversity • wildlife habitat • species at risk • forests with exceptional

conservation value

• To ensure that the forestlands of the United States and Canada represent a diversity of forest types, a new Performance Measure prohibits conversion of one forest cover type to another forest cover type except in justified circumstances.

– PM 1.2 – Program Participants shall not convert one forest cover type to another forest cover type except in justified circumstances. Examples are:

• restoring historic forest cover - Loblolly pine sites restored to longleaf pine;

• responding to forest health – invasive tree species removal of pine from riparian areas to restore hardwoods.

CONVERSION (OBJECTIVE 1)

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• To addresses the issue of conversion to non-forest uses, or “deforestation” a new performance measure has been introduced.

– PM 1.3 - Program participants will not include any lands in their certification scope for which the participant makes the decision to convert to a non-forest use.

CONVERSION (OBJECTIVE 1)

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SFI 2015-2019 Fiber Sourcing Standard

Promotes responsible forestry practices on non-certified land because it requires the responsible procurement of fiber — no matter where it comes from. SFI is the only standard that demands this. This is encouraging the spread of responsible forestry practices.

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• The marketplace has increasingly wanted risk assessments across the entire supply chain.

• New Ind. 4.1.4 requires an assessment of the risk that the Program Participant’s fiber sourcing program within United States or Canada acquires material from illegal logging.

• Illegal logging is defined as the “Harvesting and trading of wood fiber in violation of applicable laws and regulations in the country of harvest”.

RISK OF SOURCING FROM ILLEGAL LOGGING – US AND CANADA

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• Primary Producers must be certified to all applicable Objectives in the SFI 2015-2019 Fiber Sourcing Standard and Appendix 1.

• Secondary Producers must be certified to Appendix 1 in the SFI 2015-2019 Fiber Sourcing Standard.

• Appendix 1 includes a requirement for a risk assessment to avoid controversial sources and minimum management system requirements.

SFI FIBER SOURCING STANDARD: APPENDIX 1 – RULES FOR CERTIFIED SOURCING LABELS

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SFI 2015-2019 Chain-of-Custody Standard

An accounting system that tracks forest fiber content through production and manufacturing to the end product.

• Program Participants making claims or using the SFI label must conduct a risk assessment to avoid controversial sources and fiber from illegal logging.

• Program Participants are encouraged to use tools such as the World Resources Institute Risk Information Tool, the World Bank Legal Rights Index, or Transparency International.

• Implementing a Due Diligence System requires:

– Verification of purchased products

– Conducting a Risk Assessment, and

– Implementing a program to address risk

DUE DILIGENCE SYSTEM TO AVOID CONTROVERSIAL SOURCES (PART 4)

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Controversial sources are defined as:

Forest activities which are not in compliance with applicable state, provincial or federal laws, particularly as they may relate to:

• conversion sources

• legally required protection of threatened and endangered species

CONTROVERSIAL SOURCES (PART 4)

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Controversial sources are defined as: Forest activities which are not in compliance with applicable state, provincial or federal laws, particularly as they may relate to:

– requirements of CITES (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)

– legally required management of areas with

designated high environmental and cultural values

CONTROVERSIAL SOURCES (PART 4)

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Controversial sources definition:

Forest activities which are not in compliance with applicable state, provincial or federal laws, particularly as they may relate to:

• labor regulations relating to forest workers

• Indigenous Peoples’ property, tenure and use rights

CONTROVERSIAL SOURCES (PART 4)

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Controversial sources also include:

– fiber sourced from illegal logging and

– fiber sourced from areas without effective social laws.

CONTROVERSIAL SOURCES (PART 4)

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In addition to a digital copy of the SFI 2015-2019 Standards and Rules, the SFI website http://www.sfiprogram.org/ additional has materials that can assist with your transition to the SFI 2015-2019 Standards and Rules.

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RESOURCES AVAILABLE ON THE SFI WEBSITE

• Major Enhancements to the SFI 2015-2019 Standards and Rule

• SFI 2015-2019 Standards and Rules - One Pager

• SFI 2015-2019 Standards and Rules – Questions and Answers

• SFI Label Generator