The PEFC Approach

At PEFC, we care for forests globally and locally. We work to protect our forests by promoting responsible forest management through certification. This means we can all benefit from the many resources that forests provide now, while striving to ensuring these opportunities will be available for generations to come. PEFC, is a leading global alliance of national forest certification systems. As an international non-profit, non-governmental organization, we are dedicated to promoting responsible forest management through independent third-party certification.

PEFC International endorses national forest certification systems developed through multi-stakeholder processes and tailored to local priorities and conditions. We believe that forest certification needs to be local; this is why we choose to work with national organizations to advance responsible forestry. Forest certification is at our core. We provide forest owners, from the large to the small, with a tool to demonstrate their responsible practices, while empowering consumers and companies to buy ethically.

PEFC works throughout the forest supply chain to promote good practice in the forest and to ensure that forest-based products are produced with respect for one of the highest ecological, social and ethical standards.

What is sustainable forest management?

"The stewardship and use of forests and forest lands in a way, and at a rate, that maintains their biodiversity, productivity, regeneration capacity, vitality and their potential to fulfil, now and in the future, relevant ecological, economic and social functions, at local, national, and global levels, and that does not cause damage to other ecosystems." As defined by Forest Europe and adopted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. 

PEFC Canada supports the interests of organizations in Canada that are certified to the PEFC-endorsed Forest Management Standards of Canada. PEFC Canada promotes responsible forest management and encourages community participation through certification.