- Perspective
An investigation by the UK competent authority has revealed serious issues with EUTR compliance amongst UK companies importing Chinese plywood. The results point towards the need for EUTR-specific capacity building of small and medium-sized enterprises.
- Preferred by Nature news
NEPCon and SOFRECO are shortlisted for a FLEGT project in the Republic of the Congo. We are seeking a well-qualified Team Leader to strengthen our project team.
- Press releases
Indigenous communities located in Ucayali, Peru have agreed to compensate for the carbon footprint of the FSC General Assembly 2014. NEPCon is validating the event's carbon footprint calculations.
- Feature
Transparency International has released the 2014 figures for the perceived corruption level in most of the world's countries. Gain an overview of the changes and their implications for legal and FSC Controlled Wood sourcing.
- Feature
A new legal regulation has kicked in, obliging Australian importers to meet due diligence requirements similar to those of the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR).
- Editorial
Green energy is on the rise in the EU, and leading European bioenergy producers will soon be demanding woody biomass from responsible origins. This could add value to FSC and PEFC certified forests and wood pellets.
- Preferred by Nature news
NEPCon is now an independent FSC certification body. This implies that NEPCon will no longer be providing FSC services on behalf of the Rainforest Alliance. However, the close collaboration between NEPCon and the Rainforest Alliance will continue.
- Editorial
Doubts over timber industry Chain of Custody (CoC) certification have been raised with growing intensity over the past year. We look at the reasons why the former FSC General Director André de Freitas recently called CoC certification a myth, and how this can be addressed.
- Feature
Over the past year, Greenpeace has stepped up its public scrutiny of the FSC system. This might lead some industries, particularly in Europe, to see PEFC as the safer choice in terms of avoiding the NGO spotlight. However, this could prove to be an illusion.
- Editorial
At the close of the FSC General Assembly 2014, the good ship FSC has set its course for the next three years. But will the agreed moves be bold enough to solve the key issues that FSC is struggling with? In this commentary, NEPCon’s Executive Director Peter Feilberg dares FSC to set…
- Feature
As the FSC General Assembly 2014 unfolded, the temperature went up and down, perhaps reflecting the emotional state of the participants. Despite discords, there was consensus that FSC needs to modernise, to enhance its reach and to improve its credibility. Read this summary of…
- Editorial
After 20 years of reconciling interests, FSC is showing signs of fatigue. But surely the system will receive a vitalising injection of innovative thinking from its members this week. Before we leap into the future, let’s step back, take a deep breath and overlook the battle plains.
- Editorial
Ultimately, it’s all about responsible forest management and credible eco-labelling. But we’ve come to a point where we can’t see the trees for the labels. Carsten Huljus, Director of GFA Certification, speaks his mind in an interview with NEPCon on the FSC trademark rules from a…
- Feature
- Preferred by Nature news
A recent study estimates that 90 % of Cambodian timber products are derived from forest conversion, a fact that speaks to the country’s rapid loss of forest cover. The main drivers of deforestation are rooted in poor governance.
- Market news
Two years ago, sustainability specialist of Inter IKEA Systems Matthieu Leroy faced the daunting task of achieving FSC certification of all IKEA catalogues worldwide. Following a successful process, each of the 217 million copies will carry the FSC label this year. Whilst procuring 100…
- Editorial
As the FSC system grows, so does the potential for false claims and labels. FSC’s answer is the Online Claims Platform (OCP), a system enabling users to record and confirm their FSC transactions online. If strong buy-in from the industry can be secured, the OCP may vastly reduce the…
- Perspective
After more than 10 years of implementation, the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan has achieved tremendous results. In particular, it has raised the global focus on illegal logging and supported forest governance in a range of timber producing countries…
- Standard updates
PEFC has released the final version of its guidance on the PEFC Chain of Custody Standard PEFC ST 2002:2013. It includes several important amendments and interpretations.
- System updates
- Standard updates
The FSC Controlled Wood (CW) system is facing a major makeover that will align the FSC system further with legal frameworks such as the EUTR. It will also benefit companies sourcing CW through smarter and more streamlined procedures. Join the second consultation.
- Preferred by Nature news
On 1 March 2014, NEPCon and our Vietnamese partner Sustainable Forest Management Institute (SFMI) launched a new project. The aim is to equip Vietnamese small and medium sized enterprises with the know-how for satisfying FLEGT requirements and EUTR related buyer demands.