It’s time for the ‘tribal warfare’ between the various forestry and timber eco-certification schemes to end, secretary general of the Pan European Forest Certification Council told the TTF International and UK Suppliers Division.
Ben Gunneberg said there are an estimated 70 certification schemes operating worldwide, with around 80 million ha of forest certified.
‘It is essential that we increase co-operation and work towards mutual recognition,’ he said.
Responding to recent environmentalist criticism of the PEFC scheme, an ‘umbrella’ for regional and national certification programmes, Mr Gunneberg maintained that it is ‘consultative, transparent and democratic’, now also including input from international labour organisations.
