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What is PEFC?

PEFC, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, is a leading global alliance of national forest certification systems. As an international non-profit, non-governmental organization, we are dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management through independent third-party certification.

Our history

In 1999, small- and family forest owners from Europe came together to create a forest certification system that would enable them to demonstrate their excellence in sustainable forest management. 20 years on, PEFC is the largest forest certification system in the world!

What we do and why?

We endorse 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 sustainably.

A global alliance

A membership organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, we have more than 80 members located around the world, including national certification systems, NGOs, labour unions, business, trade associations, forest owner organizations and committed individuals. Our 55 national members are independent, national organizations that develop and implement the PEFC system within their country. While our 29 international stakeholder members include companies, organizations and associations whose principles and objectives are in support of ours.

Quick Facts

Over 280 million hectares of forest area (or 690 million acres) are managed in compliance with PEFC’s internationally accepted Sustainability Benchmarks – that’s roughly the size of Egypt, South Africa and Turkey combined. Nearly three-quarters (71%) of all certified forests globally are certified to PEFC (n.b. estimation, based on the latest PEFC and FSC figures).

PEFC certification provides assurance that forests are managed in line with challenging environmental, social and economic requirements. It is crucial in giving evidence of sustainable forest management, enabling forest owners and managers to demonstrate that the practices they apply in the forest are sustainable and that their forests meet our needs and those of future generations.

Currently more than 20,000 companies and organizations have achieved PEFC chain of custody certification. That equals one-third of all chains of custody globally, and you can find these companies in more than 70 countries.

PEFC chain of custody certification tracks forest-based products from sustainable sources to the final product. It demonstrates that each step of the supply chain is closely monitored through independent auditing to ensure that unsustainable sources are excluded.

56 national members, with 44 endorsed national and regional certification systems, have joined forces under the PEFC umbrella to collaboratively promote sustainable forest management. Through our projects and partnerships around the world, we work to increase this number, bringing sustainable forest management and certification to more countries and to more forest owners, large and small.

PEFC certification is a standard of choice for public timber procurement policies in e.g. the United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan, in addition to numerous private timber procurement policies. PEFC certification also demonstrates compliance with legislative requirements, including the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), the U.S. Lacey Act, and the Australian Illegal Logging Prohibition Regulation.

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