PEFC International meets all Dutch procurement criteria for timber. This is the conclusion of the Dutch Timber Procurement Assessment Committee (TPAC), that gave full marks to PEFC International. TPAC assesses certification systems for compliance with the sustainable procurement policy of the Dutch government. Following the assessment, TPAC has recommended the Dutch State Secretary for Infrastructure and the Environment to continue the approval and acceptance of PEFC with regards to the Dutch procurement policy.

Three weeks, five countries, countless meetings and many air miles! It has been an action packed month for Ben Gunneberg, the CEO of PEFC International. “It has been fantastic to travel around Asia this past month,” said Ben. “From meeting with our members, old and new, to highlighting the benefits of PEFC to a wide range of industry professionals and government representatives.” Ben began his trip in Indonesia, attending the Indonesian Forestry Certification Cooperation (IFCC) Stakeholder Meeting in Jakarta. IFCC is our national member in Indonesia. Since their endorsement back in 2014, they have been working hard to increase the forest area under PEFC certification. Ben’s final destination was Singapore, where he had a packed schedule, including a meeting with the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA). Check out the video below to see Ben highlight why certification matters to business, during a special lunchtime talk at Eco Business. Click Read More below for more of the story.

Accreditation bodies are the safeguard for credible certification. They ensure the impartiality and competence of the organizations responsible for certifying forest owners and companies – the certification bodies. Given their importance within the whole PEFC system, it is vital that they are kept up-to-date on all the latest developments at PEFC. In January, program managers and technical experts from 11 countries travelled to Geneva for an intensive training program, focused specifically on chain of custody. “While we have been training accreditation bodies for several years, in the past it has always been done through webinars,” said Michael Berger, Head of Technical Unit at PEFC International. click Read More below for additional detail