Geneva, 13 April 1999
ECE/TIM/99/1
OPPORTUNITIES
AND CONFUSION IN THE MARKETPLACE FOR CERTIFIED FOREST PRODUCTS
What is a "certified forest
product"? Who supports certification and who opposes it?
These and many other questions are answered in a new study
published under the aegis of the UN/ECE Timber Committee and FAO
European Forestry Commission. This discussion paper1 which focuses on the development, status, and potential future of
forest certification was written by two renown experts in the
field, Dr. Eric Hansen of Oregon State University and
Dr. Heikki Juslin of the University of Helsinki.
"The status of forest certification in the
ECE region" further covers the historical
development of forest certification including an explanation of
the perspectives of various stakeholders and the resulting
tension and conflict. This paper provides an objective overview
of the motives and preferences of stakeholders (forest owners and
managers, forest industry, industrial customers, retailers,
consumers and environmental non-governmental organizations).
Multiple certification and
certification-like schemes now exist in the ECE region with many
others, especially in western Europe, under development. These
schemes are generally designed to improve as well as document
sustainable forest management practices.
What is a "certified forest
product"? It is a forest product bearing a certificate which
demonstrates, in a verifiable manner, that it comes from a forest
which is managed sustainably. Certification is a way in which
consumers and retailers can check the source and suppliers of
goods. It is also a means for good forest managers to promote
their products.
However defining what exactly is
meant by "sustainably managed," and setting up fair and
credible systems to verify that a product is in fact produced
sustainably, poses many problems and has been the cause of much
tension in the forest sector, at all levels. As a result, many
different forms of certification currently exist. Although the
concept of certification appears to carry much momentum, the form
that will eventually be accepted in the marketplace is unclear.
Certification has become a
highly political issue with strong support from environmental
NGOs and retailer groups, but outright rejection by some forest
owners and processors. Capacity to set up viable certification
systems varies widely, as the relative cost of certification is
much higher for small forest owners. It is only to avoid the
imposition of systems less acceptable to them that forest owners
are starting to develop their own system. For the time being,
demand for certified products is not coming from final consumers
of wood and paper products, but rather from retailers seeking to
anticipate their customers' wishes. It is some forest industries
hoping to gain market shares, that embrace certification, while
others reject it due to low demand. The climate of opinion about
certification also varies strongly between countries.
Environmental marketing in the
forest industry and the role of certification in environmental
marketing strategies is addressed. The paper gives also examples
of individual company experiences in marketing certified forest
products and related issues, both positive such as market access,
image, credibility, premiums and networking as well as negative
such as limited and fragmented market demand, lack of supply,
limited industry involvement and difficulties to obtain price
premiums. A summary of the major certification efforts in the ECE
region is provided along with a discussion of the potential
future of forest certification.
In conclusion the authors offer
their recommendations for mutual recognition and harmonization of
schemes. The last chapters provide a comprehensive list of
sources for additional information, including websites, for
further information into this rapidly evolving subject.
The Discussion Paper expands
upon the special chapter that Dr. Hansen wrote for the most
recent "Forest products annual market review" titled the "Certified forest products marketplace"2. It is part of a continuing effort by
the UN/ECE and FAO to monitor trends in markets for certified
forest products, an important new market sector, which has only
recently started to get the attention it deserves.
For any further
information please contact:
Mr. Ed Pepke
Timber Section, Trade Division
United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe
Palais des Nations
CH - 1211 Geneva 10,
Switzerland
Telephone: (+ 41 22) 917 2872
Fax: (+ 41 22) 917 0041
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.unece.org/trade/timber
__________
1 Hansen, Eric and Heikki Juslin. "The status of forest certification in the ECE
region," Geneva Timber and Forest Discussion
Papers, 1999, ECE/TIM/DP/14, 44 pages.
2 "Forest products annual market review", Timber
Bulletin, ECE/TIM/BULL/5/3, 1998, 94 pages.