PEFC

PEFC is a global organization established to assess and mutual recognize the national certification systems, developed by many stakeholders. In Poland, the assessment is based on criteria set out in PEFC PL 1003:2012v.2 National Standard “Sustainable forest management – requirements” www.pefc.pl/o-pefc/pefc-polska.

PEFC is dedicated to promoting independent certification and providing mechanisms to show consumers that wood in products used by them derives from properly managed forests.

In Poland, the PEFC system is managed and controlled by the Rada PEFC Polska established at the Forest Research Institute based in Sękocin Stary.

PEFC organization and Rada PEFC Polska do not carry out certification process, do not conduct audits and do not issue certificates. Such activities are carried out by authorized bodies.

PCBC is a body accredited by the Polish Centre for Accreditation for management system certification, including PEFC (Accreditation No. AC 019) and as an independent body has the authority to conduct audits and issue PEFC certificates.

Certification of the sustainable forest management ensures that forests are managed in accordance with the environmental, social and economic requirements while respecting the principles of:

• widespread protection of forests
• sustainability of forest maintenance and expansion of forest resources
• continuity and sustainable use of all forest functions.

Benefits from holding PEFC certificate:

• a guarantee for producers and their customers that the raw materials come from legal sources, used in a sustained and sustainable way,
• providing the possibility of practical demonstration of environmental and social responsibility to producers and recipients of wood or other forest benefits, by creating the basis for reliable supply of raw material,
• ensuring all those using non-productive forest functions that forest management in certified forests is carried out in accordance with sustainable development criteria with ensuring forest continuity,
• a possibility of using protected logo in communication with the future customer.

The PEFC certificate also increases the competitive advantage on the wood trading market. A multitude forest owners decide to be certified. Worldwide, the certified forest area amounts to 300 million ha, and the number of forest owners is over 750,000. In addition, around 18,700 companies in the forestry and wood industry are certified and use forest resources from certified forest owners.

The PEFC certification applies to:

• forest owners
• forest managers by authority
• groups of forest owners who manage forests in accordance with PEFC standards.