SFI
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management.
SFI Inc. is solely responsible for maintaining, overseeing and improving the internationally recognized SFI program. SFI sets standards for forest management and fiber sourcing, as well as chain-of-custody practices — all of which are third-party audited by accredited certification bodies. SFI Inc. is governed by a three-chamber board of directors representing environmental, social and economic sectors equally.
The SFI Forest Management Standard is based on principles that promote sustainable forest management, including measures to protect water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, species at risk and forests with exceptional conservation value.
The SFI program’s unique fiber-sourcing standard promotes responsible forest management on all suppliers’ lands.
The work of SFI starts with a standard but SFI is much more — they’re a community that stands for the future of forests.
Elevate the Value of Research
Researchers and conservationists collaborate with SFI and SFI Program Participants across a vast North American forest landscape. With 250 million acres (100 million hectares) certified to the SFI Forest Management Standard, research and conservation projects are conducted all the way from the U.S. South to Canada’s northern boreal forest. This area represents a living laboratory equal in size to all the forested lands in British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Supporting research is a central tenet of the SFI program. SFI sees it as a way to further the conservation value of SFI-certified forests and lands subject to SFI’s fiber-sourcing requirements. Their commitment to research is also evidence that SFI is more than just a standard.
In fact, SFI is the only forest certification standard in the world that requires participants to support forestry research. These activities include improving forest health, productivity and sustainability. Better management of forest resources and enhancing the environmental benefits and performance of forest products are also central to the SFI research mission.
Since 2010, SFI has awarded more than 50 SFI Conservation and Community Partnerships grants totaling more than $1.9 million to foster research and to pilot efforts to better inform future decisions about our forests. When leveraged with project partner contributions, that total investment exceeds $7.1 million.
Broadening Market Leadership
SFI is building credible, responsible market leadership. It understands that the buying decisions of consumers, corporate leaders and governments prove how much they care about using natural resources sustainably. That’s why encouraging responsible purchasing is an SFI priority. SFI encourages private and public sector leaders to include SFI in their policies as part of responsible wood, paper and packaging purchasing.
The trend toward recognizing all forest certification standards is on the rise. In 2013, GreenBlue, The Sustainability Consortium, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the National Association of State Foresters and the Consumer Goods Forum all put out statements supporting an inclusive approach to recognizing certification.
Not only is SFI recognized by customers, conservation groups and government, the SFI 2010-2014 Standard is also recognized as a credible forest certification standard by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).
Expanding Reach With the SFI Forest Partners Program
In 2012, four market leaders — Time Inc., the National Geographic Society, Macmillan Publishers and Pearson — stepped forward as founding partners of the SFI Forest Partners Program. They are investing in our forests by making five-year commitments to increase the source of certified forest products. The program works to involve more landowners, manufacturers, distributors, customers, conservation groups and government agencies across the supply chain with the goal of certifying 10 million new acres (4 million hectares) by 2017, starting in the U.S. South.
How Can You Make A Difference?
SFI recognizes that playing a leading role in shaping the forests of tomorrow will require collaborating with a wide range of interests today. SFI brings landowners and brand owners from across the supply chain together with communities, conservation groups and other key interests to tackle the issues that define forests today and will shape the future of forests.
How can you make a difference? When you choose paper certified to SFI – you are making a difference on-the-ground today to ensure healthy forests for tomorrow. You are showing you care about the responsible use of natural resources through responsible purchasing decisions and actions.
Forests across North America have never been managed better, and SFI has played an integral part. But there is so much more to do. Ask for SFI, and join them in making a stand for future forests.
Learn more: sfiprogram.org.
To receive a printed copy of the SFI’s 2014 Annual Progress Report: Future Forests, email [email protected].
Download the Print Apply App!
A mobile app, available for Android and iPhone, that gives print professionals and graphic designers an easy way to find paper certified to the SFI Standard.
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Sustainable Forestry Initiative and SFI Forest Partners are registered trademarks.
