PEFC: We explain the changes to our group certification standard

Stakeholders from around the world are invited to give feedback on the revised Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) forest certification system. Deadline for comments is 11 May. Give your feedback now! SFI, a PEFC national member in North America, revised their forest certification system, which covers both the United States (USA) and Canada, following the entry into force of the revised 2018 PEFC Sustainable Forest Management standard. After revising the system in line with PEFC requirements, SFI submitted the revised system to PEFC for endorsement. The national system is now undergoing the PEFC assessment process, carried out by an independent PEFC Registered Assessor. It must pass this process and be approved by the PEFC General Assembly before it can achieve endorsement.

Visitors to London’s South Bank last month saw a dramatic change to the city’s skyline, all in support of the UK mental health and the anti-stigma campaign, Time to Change. As part of the annual London Design Festival, and designjunction, Head Above Water was a breath-taking, 9 metre high sculpture by British designer, Steuart Padwick. This piece of public art sought to stimulate the discussion to eradicate mental health-related stigma and discrimination. The project used precision engineered, renewable and sustainable PEFC-certified cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels supplied by StoraEnso. Installation was carried out by structural engineering experts Ramboll, making Head Above Water a model of sustainable, smart design and build. Click read more below for additional detail.

E-commerce in the United States grew by 44 percent in 2020, and with that growth came a rise in package deliveries — and the use of paper packaging materials. While the pandemic certainly spurred the increase seen last year, online shopping was already on the rise, meaning demand for paper packaging likely will continue to grow. This is especially true as consumers learn more about the environmental cost of consumption. In a study of U.S. packaging preferences, former Two Sides North America, Inc. President Phil Reibel said, “Consumers are becoming more aware of available packaging choices for the items they buy, which in turn is influencing packaging decisions by businesses, particularly in the retail sector.” The 2020 report showed that among the consumers surveyed: *57 percent are trying to reduce their use of plastic packaging. *57 percent prefer online orders to be delivered in paper packaging instead of plastic. *70 percent want online orders to be delivered in right-sized packages that don’t waste empty space. *66 percent believe paper or corrugated is better for the environment than other packaging materials. *69 percent choose paper or corrugated because it is compostable at home. *More than 50 percent think paper is easier to recycle, less expensive, and lighter weight than other packaging materials. *38 percent would even be willing to spend more on a product if it were packaged sustainably.